Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
1991 international treaty on environmental regulation in Antarctica / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, also known as the Madrid Protocol, is a complementary legal instrument to the Antarctic Treaty signed in Madrid on October 4, 1991. It entered into force on January 14, 1998.
The Madrid Protocol designates Antarctica as a "natural reserve, devoted to peace and science" (Art. 2). It complements and reinforces the Antarctic Treaty in order to increase the protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems.