Summary
On October 14, 2025, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress passed “Motion 055: Recognition of the rights of Antarctica.” The Motion consists of three requests of the IUCN and its various commissions and task forces. The Motion (1) asks IUCN commissions and members to evaluate the concept of the fundamental rights of Antarctica and corresponding duties of humans; (2) recommends IUCN commissions and members submit a report on the evaluation progress; and (3) encourages IUCN members to advance cooperation under the Antarctic Treaty System to protect the intrinsic value of Antarctica.
The Motion is grounded in the Antarctic Treaty (1959), which designates Antarctica as a natural reserve for peace and science, and the Antarctic Treaty System, which refers to the Treaty and a series of international agreements that regulate activities in Antarctica.
Motion 055 was adopted by the IUCN World Conservation Congress alongside four other motions regarding the rights of nature and another motion advocating for ecocide to be criminalized.
Impact Statement
In a historic milestone for Earth law and global conservation, five Rights of Nature motions, and one motion recognizing the crime of ecocide, officially passed at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress. This development demonstrates that the global conservation community is normatively embracing a paradigm shift from managing Nature as a resource to recognizing ecosystems as rights-bearing entities.
Related Initiatives
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/iucn-2025-motion-055-recognition-of-the-rights-of-antarctica/.
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