Remote and wild, Antarctica was once solely the domain of hardcore explorers. As the continent becomes more accessible, science and tourism are expanding – but does this come with an environmental cost? Should access to these fragile ecosystems be regulated, and who gets to decide?

Professor Steven L Chown FAA FRSsaf is Director of Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future, an Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative and Professor at Monash University. His Antarctic research covers many aspects of biodiversity variation and its conservation. Owing to his interest in the science-policy interface, for many years he represented the international Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), of which he was also President (2016-2021), at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings, providing scientific advice on a broad range of environmental and science policy matters.

Dr Jaimie Cleeland is an early career scientist working on Southern Ocean fisheries at the Australian Antarctic Division. Her research directly contributes to the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Living Marine Resources, where she represents Australia as an independent scientific delegate. Providing advice on the impact fishing has on bycatch species such as seabirds and deep-water skates and sharks, and ways that we can better manage fisheries around Antarctica to conserve non-target species.

Greg Mortimer OAM is best known as a mountaineer; he was one of the first two Australians to climb Mt Everest (1984) and the first Australian to climb Antarctica’s highest peak, Vinson Massif, in 1988. He later co-founded adventure cruise company Aurora Expeditions and has led over 80 expeditions to Antarctica. He trained as a geochemist and geologist has also previously worked for the New Zealand Antarctic Division.

They join our host, Professor Alan Duffy of The Royal Institution of Australia to discuss this key issue.

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The cost of accessing Antarctica