§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the environmental changes in Antarctica since the agreement of the Environmental Protocol. [73166]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Environmental Protocol entered into force in January 1998, although the UK had implemented its provisions soon after its adoption in 1991. Operational procedures in Antarctica have changed considerably within the past few years to take on board the tough provisions of the Protocol, e.g., the regular use of Environmental Impact Assessments, rigorous waste 523W disposal standards, etc. All activities of British citizens in Antarctica, including the scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, are the subject of permits issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. An assessment of compliance with environmental standards is a routine part of permitting procedures. From our knowledge of the operations in Antarctica of other Treaty parties it is apparent that all, to a greater or lesser extent, have embraced the provisions of the Protocol.
Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey continually monitor conditions in Antarctica. Whilst the Environmental Protocol has strengthened the environmental protection of Antarctica from activities which are carried out there, changes to Antarctica's environment are occurring due to the impact of wider global events, e.g., pollution from industrial areas outside of Antarctica.
The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions partly funds the Hadley Centre to analyse global temperature trends, although they have not studied Antarctica specifically. We do not fund measurements of ozone depletion in the Antarctic although the British Antarctic Survey do so, funded by the National Environmental Research Council.
The Department does, however, follow the work of scientists working in the region. We have also just let a contract to make a risk assessment on the possibility of collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the face of climate change. The results of this survey should be available by the end of this year.