An Urgent Call To Save Antarctica: Create A Protected Area - Domain 1

As Malizia Explorer, a sailing research vessel dedicated to science and outreach, we are currently navigating the Western Antarctic Peninsula with partners from Under The Pole, scientists, journalists, and activists. This expedition brings science, storytelling, and advocacy together, turning shared knowledge into concrete climate action. Together, we launched the Global Warning campaign and a petition urging global governments to protect one of the most ecologically rich and climate-critical regions of the Southern Ocean: Domain 1.

Antarctica is not just remote and beautiful, it is vital to the health of the planet. Its cold waters and sea ice regulate the global climate, absorb heat and carbon, and support interconnected marine ecosystems that sustain life near and far. Rapid warming and human pressures, like concentrated krill fishing, are putting these ecosystems under strain.

Our joint petition, supported by scientists, activists, and sailors, calls on the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to adopt a science-based Marine Protected Area for Domain 1, covering the Western Antarctic Peninsula and South Scotia Arc. The proposal focuses on protecting key foraging habitats for whales, seals, penguins, and seabirds, as well as important benthic and pelagic bioregions, including submarine canyons, cross-shelf valleys, and polynya margins.

It directly addresses growing pressures from climate change, fishing, and rapidly expanding tourism in one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth. By safeguarding both biodiversity and the ecological processes that sustain it, the Domain 1 MPA would significantly strengthen the resilience of Antarctic Peninsula ecosystems in the face of accelerating environmental change.

We call on governments, and particularly CCAMLR Members, to honour that legacy, and to be committed to this historical milestone. To stand against the growing industrial and commercial threats to Antarctica. And to demonstrate, through decisive action, proven scientific evidence that international cooperation for the protection of our planet is not only possible, but essential.

Read and sign the petition here

© Marin Le Roux / PolaRYSE / Malizia Explorer