The extended continental shelves of sub-Antarctic Islands: implications for Antarctic governance

A significant shift in Antarctic governance is underway, as coastal states assert rights to extended continental shelves (ECS) beyond 200 nautical miles from sub-Antarctic islands, including Australia's Heard and McDonald Islands. Despite the Antarctic Treaty System's (ATS) prohibition on sovereignty claims within the Antarctic Treaty Area (ATA), these submissions—endorsed by the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)—now grant individual states exclusive rights to seabed areas penetrating the ATA, potentially undermining the collective responsibility principle established 50 years ago. While mineral exploitation remains prohibited under the 1991 Protocol, bioprospecting and other resource activities could proceed with coastal state approval, raising geopolitical challenges. The study highlights a growing discrepancy between rights derived from external territories (sub-Antarctic islands) and those within the ATA, with implications for strategic resource access in the region.

Hemmings, A. D., & Stephens, T. (2010). The extended continental shelves of sub-Antarctic Islands: implications for Antarctic governance. Polar Record, 46(4), 312–327. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409990532