Talks have opened in Australia on Monday to create two vast marine sanctuaries aimed at protecting the pristine wilderness of Antarctica, with Russia and China situated to decide whether they succeed.
The fate of the plans to shield critical areas of ocean around the frozen continent is in the hands of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) at its annual meeting in Hobart, which runs until Oct. 28.
Attempts to create both an Australian-backed East Antarctic scheme and a U.S.-New Zealand bid for a protected zone in the Ross Sea have been repeatedly blocked due to a lack of consensus.
Campaigners at the talks have said there was broad agreement among all 24 member countries and the European Union, except China, and Russia, which is chairing this year’s meeting.
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