Consensus decision‑making in CCAMLR: Achilles’ heel or fundamental to its success?

• Main Author: Goldsworthy, L
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Netherlands 2022
• Subjects: Southern Ocean; CCAMLR; consensus; veto; multilateral organisations; decision making; Achilles Heel; Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://eprints.utas.edu.au/45860/; https://eprints.utas.edu.au/45860/1/dea9569a-3e53-4468-aada-6b509b7cef92%20%281%29.pdf

The Commission for the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine LivingResources is the body responsible for the conservation and management of most speciesin the Southern Ocean. The Convention mandates that decisions be made by consensusagreement of its Members. This approach has been largely successful in delivering strongmanagement decisions across both complex issues and widely ranging national interests.However, recent failures to progress the implementation of a network of marine protectedareas or to agree any concrete response actions to climate impacts raise concerns aboutits effectiveness. This paper reviews the level of uptake of Member-driven proposals andthen examines examples of proposals that were not resolved within the usual three years toanalyse the processes utilised by Members to find resolution. It concludes that CCAMLRhas been successful in reaching agreements when focusing on fisheries management butless so on issues within its broader conservation mandate, such as area protection for biodiversitypurposes or non-fishery management focused scientific study, or for issues thatare perceived to extend the competency of the Convention. It notes that CCAMLR lacksoperational mechanisms to facilitate agreement in the absence of compromise text or whenone or two Members cannot accept a proposal.