In addition to seeking SCAR'S advice on environmental 

 impact assessment procedures, the Antarctic Treaty 

 Consultative Parties requested, in 1985, that SCAR consider 

 and provide advice on: waste disposal procedures and 

 standards that would be desirable for coastal and inland 

 stations and field camps; the possible desirability of 

 expanding the system of protected areas in Antarctica to 

 include areas or forms of protection not covered by the 

 existing system of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 

 Specially Protected Areas; and steps that might be taken to 

 improve the comparability and accessibility of scientific 

 data on Antarctica. In response to the requests concerning 

 waste disposal and the possible need for additional 

 protective arrangements, SCAR, at its meeting in San Diego in 

 June 1986, established a panel of experts and an ad hoc 

 working group to consider the matters. Reports will be 

 produced in time for review and submission to the October 

 1987 meeting of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties. 

 In response to the request for advice on steps that could be 

 taken to improve the comparability and accessibility of 

 scientific data, SCAR established an ad hoc group to consider 

 the matter and to provide a report to the next meeting of the 

 Working Group on Biology in September 1988. 



At its 1984 meeting, SCAR constituted a joint working 

 group with the International Union for the Conservation of 

 Nature and Natural Resources (lUCN) on long-term conservation 

 in the Antarctic. To facilitate its work, the joint working 

 group organized and held a symposium in Bonn, Federal 

 Republic of Germany, in April 1985. The report of the 

 working group was presented to the lUCN General Assembly 

 Meeting in May 1986 and to SCAR at its meeting in June 1986. 

 SCAR welcomed the report and invited delegates to provide 

 written comments for consideration when discussing further 

 collaboration between lUCN and SCAR in this effort. 



The Marine Mammal Commission believes that the advice of 

 the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research is essential 

 to the effective operation of the Antarctic Treaty system. 

 Through the Polar Research Board, the Commission will 

 continue to provide whatever assistance possible to 

 facilitate SCAR's work. 



New International Interest in Antarctica 



The basic purpose of the Antarctic Treaty, which entered 

 into force in 1961, is to assure that Antarctica is used 

 exclusively for peaceful purposes. To this end, military 

 activities, nuclear explosions, and the disposal of 

 radioactive waste in Antarctica are prohibited. The Treaty 

 guarantees freedom of scientific research and provides for 

 on-site inspection of all stations, installations, and 



29 



