ABSTRACT
Thirty states plus the European Union are decision-making parties, and twenty-six more are non-decision-making parties to one or more ATS instruments. A number of intergovernmental organizations (such as the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)), nongovernmental organizations (such as the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators), and hybrid organizations such as International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have observer status. The three pillars of the ATS are peaceful purposes (avoiding militarization), environmental protection and freedom of scientific enquiry. The latter two and operational management of human activities underway in the region are the focus of measures adopted by the ATS (Hemmings 2011). Responsibility for whaling lies entirely outside the ATS, with the International Whaling Commission.
