Following two failed attempts to gain approval, the 1.6-million-square-kilometre East Antarctic System (the proposal put forward by Australia, France and the European Union) will be broken down into seven smaller reserves and resubmitted for approval.
According to Fairfax, the seven reserves cover distinctive areas of high biodiversity, and feeding areas for seals, whales and seabirds. They form the biggest single system up for debate at the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
The East Antarctic stands beside a 1.3 million square kilometre Ross Sea Marine Protected Area proposed by New Zealand and the United States, already heavily modified following opposition to any reserves from Russia and Ukraine.
At a recent special meeting, Russia and Ukraine have gone on record at a recent meeting questioning the legal basis for the reserves.
Australia’s Federal Foreign Minister Julie Bishop joined counterparts from all proponent countries in issuing a statement in support of the reserves.
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