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Recommends The Ratification Of The Antarctic Treaty

Original Language Title: Recomenda a ratificação do Tratado da Antártida

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DRAFT RESOLUTION NO. 169 /X

RECOMMENDS RATIFICATION OF THE ANTARCTIC TREATY

Antarctica, by some nicknamed 'the last frontier', is a continent

extremely rich in natural resources, specifically marine, but

also minerals, bearer of a delicate ecosystem that supports a

invaluable biodiversity heritage and plays an important one

role in regulating the climate of the planet, serving as a refrigeration system

of the Earth through the heated exchanges processed at the level of the oceans and the

atmosphere.

Initially subscribed to by twelve countries (UK-UK, South Africa,

Belgium, Japan, United States of America, Norway, France, New Zealand,

Russia, Argentina, Australia and Chile), the "Antarctic Treaty", in force since

1961, was born out of the will to consecrate the Antarctic continent, or Antarctica,

at the south pole, exclusively for peaceful purposes, to free scientific research, to the

defence of the environment and nature and promotion of cooperation

international.

Recognizing the superior interest of all mankind in preserving

the whole region south of the parallel 60, whether from international conflicts or from the

saque and the overexploitation of its resources and its destruction, the text of the

said Treaty expressly prohibited all activities of a nature

military, as well as the carrying out of weapons tests, nuclear explosions

or the dumping of radioactive waste, taking on its signatories the wish

of halting equally the race to the exploitation of mineral resources that it would take,

not only to the degradation of the largest reserve (almost 90%) of freshwater of the planet,

consisting of polar ice, as it would represent the death of a valuable and

sensitive ecosystem and all the wildlife there existing.

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At the moment it is already 45 countries that subscribe to it, 16 of which are

our partners in the European Union, participating in this worldwide weirdship that

is to keep Antarctica a truly international continent, without owners

nor do you gentlemen, a space of freedom, devoted to research and sharing of

knowledge, for what they meet regularly at the Consultative Meetings of the

Members of the Antarctic Treaty, where recommendations are adopted and

deferred attachments to the original text, maintaining the Treaty, as well as the principles

in it established, alive and in operation.

However, it will never be too much to strengthen the aforementioned Treaty at a time

in which the pressure and human footprint on the planet worsened, fruit of

human societies with productive and developmental models

excessively dependent on mineral resources and mainly

fossil energy, existing the real danger of, in the vorging of exploitation

unsustainable of planetary resources, no region of the globe to be spared.

The importance and potential of scientific research in Antarctica, to

in addition to the obvious advantages it brings in terms of the evolution of the

current knowledge as well as the windows of opportunity that opens

also to our country and to our researchers to participate in the adventure of the

research and the preservation of that continent, takes on yet a special

interest in the relief it presents in the area of the study of history and of the

evolution of the climate of our planet (climatology), increasingly in the order of the

day by the pressing need to keep up with topical mutations

known for the phenomenon of climate change and global warming

of the planet.

In effect, Antarctica was, for example, and still is, eyewitness to

one of the most well-known phenomena, that of the "hole in the ozone layer", today

happy and seemingly in recession in the face of the measures taken in consequence

of the Montreal Protocol (1987) through which it has banned production and

consumption of a set of the main gases responsible for its

destruction. Every year, in every Polar Spring (which takes place between

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September and November), by virtue of the climatic particularities of the whole

polar region, assists to the maximum extent of the "ozone layer hole",

that is, at the maximum periodic reduction in the concentration of ozone on the high

atmosphere on the poles, responsible for the increase in radiation exposure

ultraviolet that can cause diseases in the skin (cancer), affect vision and

immunological system.

The regions of the poles have been presented of the most sensitive to

climate change, there by meeting the ones that have suffered the most from the

global warming, visible in the degelos of the polar calotes in Alaska, in the

Siberia and in several zones of Antarctica. Despite the importance we already know

having the south pole in the regulation of world climate, the truth is that knowledge

that the scientific community has about that phenomenon and how it

works and affects the ecosystems and consequently to all of us, it is still

very incomplete and needs to be deepened.

It is thus fully justified in the interest that researchers

Portuguese have demonstrated by that region and it must be accompanied

of a formal institutional involvement of Portugal taking on the will in

take part more actively in the conservation and study of that continent

recognizing the key role it plays at the level of global climate

that to all the peoples of all countries and to all living beings affects.

Portugal has already been, since July 17, 2006, associate member of the Committee

Scientific for Research in Antarctica-SCAR (Scientific Committee for

Antarctic Research): Interdisciplinary committee belonging to the Council

International for Science-which allows our country to develop

research programmes in Antarctica, facilitating further cooperation

international in this area. The SCAR, is responsible, in addition to promoting and

coordinate scientific research in Antarctica, for providing advice

purpose and independent of the Consultative Meetings of the Members of the

Treated, as well as other organizations, making recommendations

specifically in the case of the conservation and safeguarding of the environment.

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We are approaching the next International Polar Year (API),

event of biennial duration (2007-2008), significant moment that must

be harnessed to express more clearly the commitment of Portugal to

participate in this worldwide desiccation of protecting and studying the Antarctic continent,

as indeed has been championed by the main drivers of the idea, the

set of researchers constituting the Portuguese Committee incarregue of

promote the API and have been calling for membership on the part of our country to

Treated Antarctic.

Thus:

-Considering the importance for the future, to cope with the problem of

climate change, the study and knowledge of the regulatory role

fundamental played by Antarctica in the climate of our planet;

-Considering the need and the interest to deepen the involvement of

Portugal and the national scientific community in research activities and

research in development or to develop in that region;

-Considering the upcoming International Polar Year 2007-2008, which will

be commemorated also in our country for what already exists a Committee

National recognized by the Government;

-Considering that it matters to promote the safeguarding of natural wealth,

environmental and biodiversity, keeping Antarctica free from the saque to its

resources, pollution, military or nuclear activities;

-Whereas Portugal must communicate from the original spirit of the treaty, from

promotion of peace, cooperation and free and shared scientific research

and of the promotion of the conservation of natural heritage and the environment:

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The Assembly of the Republic deliberates, in the terms of the nº5 of the Artº.166º

of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, recommend to the Government that

sign the Antarctic Treaty of 1961.

Palace of S. Bento, December 13, 2006.

The Members of "The Greens",

Francisco Madeira Lopes Heloísa Apollonia