《马德里议定书》的背景、发展与启示

The background,development and enlightenment of the Madrid Protocol

《马德里议定书》的出台背景、谈判过程与晚近发展反映了环境保护目标在南极国际治理中从无到有,从边缘到中心的地位变化。从《南极矿产资源活动管理公约》到《马德里议定书》,南极条约协商国在南极治理中的核心理念从资源利用转移至环境保护。历经六年具有“非正式外交”和“个人外交”特色的谈判,《南极矿产资源活动管理公约》于1988年通过,但其因受到联合国质疑、环保组织及南极条约非协商国的多方反对等因素而无法生效。1991年,禁止南极矿产资源活动并建立了南极环境保护制度的《马德里议定书》通过,标志着南极条约体系中环境保护目标的确立。2005年《马德里议定书》附件六通过,其为南极环境保护制度设立了责任义务,大大提升了各国进行南极科学考察活动的门槛,但至今仍未生效。当下,环境保护已经成为了南极国际治理的关键目标之一,也是其核心议题与博弈工具。作为南极条约协商国与科考大国,我国应尽快出台南极环境保护专门立法以落实条约义务,并立足科学考察优势,利用协商国地位和权利积极争取南极事务话语权,以增强我国在南极的实质性存在,维护我国南极权益并推动南极环境保护法律制度的完善。

The historical background,negotiation process and recent development of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty(hereafter Madrid Protocol)reflect the change of status of environmental protection for international Antarctic governance,from nonexistent to marginal to central.Initially focused on resource utilization,with the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resources Activities,the core governance concept for Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties has shifted to environmental protection,with the Madrid Protocol.After six years of informal and personal diplomatic negotiations,the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resources Activities was adopted in 1988 but not immediately implemented,because of partial reservations from United Nations countries and opposition from environmental organizations or Non-Consultative Parties.In 1991,the Madrid Protocol was adopted,prohibiting Antarctic mineral resource exploitation and establishing an environmental protection policy within the Antarctic Treaty System.In 2005,Annex Ⅵ to the Madrid Protocol was adopted,establishing the legal responsibility of the Parties to guarantee environmental protection while raising the bar for scientific research in Antarctica,but it has not yet taken effect.Environmental protection is currently both a key objective and the core issue for international governance of Antarctica.As an Antarctic Treaty Consultative Party with a strong scientific research capacity,China needs to fulfill its obligations under the Madrid Protocol by introducing specific legislation for Antarctic environmental protection.On the basis of its operational capacity and Antarctic research programs,China should also use its Consultative Party status and rights to actively participate in Antarctic governance,expand its substantial presence and preserve its interests in Antarctica,while collaborating to improve the Antarctic environmental protection system.