Leader or laggard : New Zealand’s comparative contribution to the Antarctic Treaty System. ...

• Main Author: Scott, Christine
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: University of Canterbury 2022
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; Ross Sea
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.26021/13898; https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/104801

New Zealand’s official involvement with Antarctica began with the administration of a claim for the Ross Sea dependency in 1923. Until the International Geophysical Year in 1957/58, however, New Zealand practised a laissez-faire approach to its claim with minimal financial involvement in either exploration or research. This changed in 1957 with the establishment of Scott Base, the participation in the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition and New Zealand’s first scientific programme on the ice. New Zealand was active in the negotiations in the Antarctic Treaty and has participated in the development of the various instruments forming the Antarctic Treaty System. Previous research on Antarctic governance has identified a dominant group of Antarctic Treaty Parties as leaders within this governance regime. These parties all belonging to the elite group of the twelve states, including New Zealand, that negotiated and signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. Along with a timely reassessment of prior scholarly work, ...