Polar Cooperation Research Centre (PCRC), Kobe University

JSPS Core-to-Core Program will convene its kick-off seminar “Strengthening the transparency of the Antarctic Treaty System” at Sophia University in Tokyo on July 31, with keynote speech by Mr. William Muntean, former US Head of Delegation to ATCM 2022-23. On August 1, an early-career scholars initiative with international guests from US, Korea and Australia will be held at GSICS. See the flyer for details.

The annual ATCM Antarctic Governance Seminar held at Hotel Melia in Milan, Italy, on June 22 attracted more than 30 audience at the venue. In the group photo are the panelists and distinguished guests including the Director of Italian Polar Institute. The entire discussion is now available on YouTube.

It has become a tradition that, since 2023 in Helsinki, Kobe PCRC co-organizes an Antarctic governance seminar jointly with other relevant institutions during the ATCM at the venue or nearby in the host city. This year, at Milan ATCM (June 23 to July 3), Kobe PCRC joined by KOPRI and Italian Institute of Polar Science (ISP) will convene a similar event entitled “Antarctic Governance upheld by the Treaty System” on June 22 near the ATCM conference venue. This year’s seminar will examine, in Panel 1, the structural foundations of the ATS, including its consensus-based decision-making processes, the role of transparency mechanisms, and the long-term adaptability of the system. Panel 2 will consider the evolving global context in which the ATS operates. Key external pressures such as accelerating climate change and the implications of new, emerging instruments such as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) pose critical challenges and opportunities for the future of Antarctic governance. Please see the great line-up of the panelists in the flyer.

Dr. Romain Chuffart, Nasen Profesor from University of Akureyri gave a stimulating talk on Arctic ice geoengineering on May 13, attended by many GSICS International Law students, at 29th PCRC/GSICS International Law Seminar. Romain was a PCRC fellow for 5 months from 2018, right after he finished his LLM at Akureyri Polar Law Master’s Program, researching and collaborating with Director Shibata on Arctic international law. He then went to Durham University in the United Kingdom to pursue his doctoral degree, and was nominated as the prestigious Nansen Professor in 2024 for 3 year-term.