Protecting the Southern Ocean and Antarctica: A conversation with Natasha Gardiner
BY LAURA DE LUCA
Magical and full of beauty and mysteries, Antarctica is a frozen wonderland. We spoke with Natasha Gardiner, a PhD researcher at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand where her research focuses on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean science-policy interface.
Natasha is a social scientist with a background in psychology, sociology and Antarctic environmental management. Besides her PhD, Natasha is also an environmental advisor for New Zealand’s National Programme and a member of the Science-Policy Expert Group for the New Zealand Antarctic Science Platform (ASP). When not working on Antarctic issues, you can find Natasha exploring in the wilderness! Her profound love for the ocean and diving experience from around the world have been large motivators for her career choices.
You’ve built your life around Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. What drew you to it in the first place?
I first saw a whale when I was 8 years old. It’s huge, majestic, shining body emerged from the depths and a sudden plume of salty ocean spray was blown high into the air, landing softly onto my cheeks. I was absolutely mesmerised. Since that special moment just off the coastline of Kaikoura, New Zealand, I have been in love with the ocean and the magical life that dwells beneath its surface. I’ve spent hours in the underwater world, admiring the brilliance of all the creatures the ocean supports.
It wasn’t until I watched the award-winning documentary The Last Ocean that I realised the Southern Ocean was in serious trouble. It was a shock to find out that the very ocean connecting New Zealand with Antarctica was (and still is) being exploited for one of its key top predators, Antarctic toothfish. Once I started reading and learning more about the important role Antarctica and the Southern Ocean play in sustaining life on Earth, and how crucial it is we conserve the health of Antarctic ecosystems, there was no turning back.
Which threats to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean should people be aware of?
Despite Antarctica’s remoteness, the continent and its surrounding ocean face many of the same environmental threats that we are witnessing around the globe. Climate change, non-native species introductions, resource exploitation, pollution and increasing human activities threaten highly sensitive marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Antarctic wildlife is perfectly adapted to live in harsh, freezing conditions, and even small changes to the environment can have a large impact on their ability to survive. A recent study suggests that if we continue along the current carbon emissions trajectory, emperor penguins could be close to extinction by 2100 due to the loss of sea ice. This February, instruments recorded a sweltering 20.75oC at the Antarctic Peninsula – the highest temperature ever recorded on the continent. Our changing climate will have disproportionate implications for different regions and species across Antarctica, and scientists are racing to understand how quickly and to what extent Antarctic environmental change will occur so that the rest of the world can brace itself for the consequences.
But it’s not just environmental threats that require urgent attention. Evolving and complex geopolitics equally threaten Antarctica and the Southern Ocean by shaking the very foundations of the Antarctic Treaty System. Making conservation-based decisions in response to rapid environmental change is becoming increasingly difficult and there is a pressing need for stronger international cooperation and future-proofed policy development.
Can you tell us briefly, how is the Southern Ocean being protected? Are there hopes for new legislation that expand the coverage of its protection?
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is the Antarctic decision-making body responsible for the conservation of Southern Ocean marine ecosystems. One of the most powerful tools in CCAMLR’s toolkit for marine conservation is the ability to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters. To date, CCAMLR has designated two MPS - the South Orkney Islands southern shelf MPA, and the Ross Sea region MPA. Despite these achievements, CCAMLR is yet to protect a representative area of key marine biodiversity hotspots - many fragile and increasingly threatened regions of the Southern Ocean remain unprotected. CCAMLR has been struggling to agree on three additional MPA proposals. This is the eighth year in a row they have failed to adopt the East Antarctic MPA. Fisheries interests and geopolitics are getting in the way of science. This is an extremely concerning predicament.
Thankfully, there are hopes for new legislation for marine protection in the Southern Ocean and other international waters around the globe. The United Nations are currently negotiating a new treaty dedicated to improving the conservation of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. We (myself and brilliant co-author Cassandra Brooks) recently wrote an article for The Conversation about this opportunity.
What is the importance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and how can you guarantee their effectiveness when established?
MPAs are an increasingly popular conservation tool for a variety of reasons. They provide refuge for ecosystems to build resilience against threats like climate change, they allow for ecosystem regeneration following overexploitation, they can actually lead to improved fisheries outcomes, they enable the conservation of vital marine biodiversity… the list goes on! The ocean is a highly dynamic place so I wouldn’t say that an MPA’s effectiveness can ever be fully guaranteed – for example, fish don’t stick to the MPA boundaries that humans draw on maps! But there are several key components that can significantly increase the likelihood of an MPA effectively meeting its conservation objectives. Key components include well-designed stakeholder engagement, the use of the best available scientific evidence, dedicated long-term funding for research and monitoring, transdisciplinary approaches to research and monitoring, consultation with indigenous perspectives, strong leadership, well-defined targets and objectives, and an effective MPA policy framework.
What does the word conservation mean to you?
I have a funny relationship with the notion ‘conservation’. To me it means to preserve the Earth’s natural systems by creating sustainable, regenerative and harmonious connections between all living beings. However, I can’t help but feel it’s an absolute tragedy that we’ve reached a point where we’ve altered the natural environment so harmfully that we must urgently find solutions to reverse the fatal consequences.
The notion “conservation” should never have lost its way, but it did. Mass consumerism, fast food, fast fashion, fast technology, and “convenience” has blinded what indigenous peoples saw so clearly - how to harmoniously live alongside nature. Listening to indigenous perspectives will help us in our conservation efforts and each starting in our homes and communities will help too. A Mahatma Ghandhi quote comes to mind – “live simply so that others may simply live”.
How can policy and legislation help the conservation efforts of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean?
Policy and legislation have been enormously helpful for Antarctic conservation efforts over the last 60 years. The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 and is a truly astounding piece of legislation. It sets the entire icy continent aside for peaceful and scientific purposes. This was an incredible achievement during the height of Cold War tensions, but one thing was missing from the treaty’s provisions – the environment. Antarctic Treaty Parties soon realised the need to develop a policy framework for the protection of Antarctica’s living resources and environment. In 1964, they adopted the first set of Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Flora and Fauna. This was followed by a Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic seals (1972). In the late 1970s, concerns were mounting regarding the overexploitation of Antarctic krill, which led to the 1980 Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Around this same time, interest and tension was also growing with regard to the enticing prospect of Antarctica’s rich mineral resources. The signing of the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty resolved these tensions by providing a comprehensive framework for the protection of the Antarctic environment, including an indefinite ban on mining activities.
In the latter half of the twentieth century, policy and legislation were quick to address the most pressing environmental and governance issues as they arose. The question now is whether current Antarctic policy is robust enough to address the emerging problems we face in the twenty-first century and beyond.
What has been your favourite aspect of working in the science-policy interface for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean?
Getting to meet and speak with a wide range of individuals who have diverse Antarctic experience has definitely been a favourite aspect so far. Everyone brings a unique perspective and it’s interesting to learn about the different challenges individuals face in their work at the Antarctic science-policy interface and to hear about the opportunities they envision for the future. Of course, travelling to Antarctica has been an immense privilege and I’d be lying if I didn’t say this was my favourite part! It has been highly informative for me to travel to Antarctica and see how policy is enacted on the ground.
Besides research, you write poetry about the Antarctic. What inspires you to write?
I think I can maybe best describe where the inspiration comes from by sharing a poem I wrote while sitting on the great expanse of the Ross Ice Shelf in 2018…
You’ve already been to Antarctica twice. Can you tell us how it feels like being in this unique place?
Yes… It’s emotional, it’s soulful, it’s guilt-inducing, it’s deeply humbling. It’s so many things and standing there in the silent white puts your whole life into perspective. On the one hand, the impossible beauty of Antarctica stings your eyes with tears and brings joy to your heart, and on the other hand, you begin to question your right to be there and you think deeply and regretfully about the damage we’ve caused as a species. You know that once you leave that place and return home, you must immediately get to work trying to protect it. Once you’ve visited Antarctica, your life changes forever. It has for me anyway.
How has your experience been as a female researcher in your field?
For me as a female Antarctic researcher in New Zealand, it has been an incredibly supportive journey in the sense that I think I’ve had the same experience a young male researcher would expect to have in the same context. This experience was definitely not the case, however, for the original brave women who travelled to Antarctica and who courageously broke down the patriarchal status quo of early Antarctic exploration and research. I am forever grateful for those heroic females and I reflected on their courage a lot during my time on the ice.
Something that definitely does set aside the female research experience in Antarctica is toileting in the field! Ladies, if you haven’t heard of a ‘sheewee’, I suggest you look that up. It’s a life-changing device when you’re required to pee into a bottle on-the-go. Add menstruation into the equation and you can only imagine the challenges! Luckily, I’ve always been surrounded by the most inspirational and understanding men and women, who have provided moral support and laughs in desperate moments of need. I did write a poem about it though…
Our field camp toilet – it’s red because the inside of the tent is red and it’s very bright outside! Pee barrel on the left and poo bucket on the right. A five star experience.
Lastly, a freestyle question, is there anything else you would like to add? :)
I’m very keen to hear from other researchers so that we can build strong international collaborations and work together to protect this beautiful planet. Please feel free to get in touch with me if you’re interested in connecting. Otherwise… Go forth and conquer ladies!! (Natasha.gardiner@pg.canterbury.ac.nz)
