He pointed out that the pressure of the increase in tourism in the Antarctica, especially from people with a higher purchasing power, worries the parties to the Antarctic Treaty and the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work for the conservation of one of the last natural, virgin and vulnerable spaces.

Roura pointed out that after the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of tourists arriving in the Antarctica from October to March is on the rise, reaching 124,000 visitors in 2024, a figure that could increase in the coming years.

ASOC, based in the US capital, is an alliance of environmental NGOs founded in 1978, which works to protect the Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

The tourism boom was one of the issues discussed at the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting held in India in May 2024, when representatives from more than 56 countries raised the sustainable management of the territory, the impacts of human activity and the climate crisis on the white continent.

The Antarctica is a continent without owners, according to the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which designates it as a territory dedicated to peace and science, where the exploration of natural resources is not allowed, Roura recalls.

Despite this, the expert added, the treaty is under pressure, because there are members with very definite visions on certain issues.

jg/abo/mem/rfc