UK government backs creation of Antarctic wildlife reserve

Reserve to cover 1.8m km will protect penguins, leopard seals, orca and blue whales

Matthew Taylor

Wed 17 Oct 2018 13.05 BSTLast modified on Wed 17 Oct 2018 16.31 BST

The UK government has thrown its weight behind the creation of the world’s biggest environmental sanctuary, covering a huge swathe of the Antarctic ocean.

The massive 1.8m sq km reserve – five times the size of Germany – would ban all fishing in a vast area of the Weddell Sea and parts of the Antarctic peninsula, safeguarding species including penguins, killer whales, leopard seals and blue whales.

Experts say it would also play a key role in tackling climate change, pointing out that the seas around the Antarctic – if protected and viable – soak up huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

A decision is due to be taken by the nations that make up the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources – the group set up to protect the seas around the Antarctic – in Hobart, Tasmania at the end of this month.

Last month the UK government backed a proposal that would see 30% of the world’s oceans protected by 2030 – a move heralded as a breakthrough moment by environmentalists.

Now the environment secretary, Michael Gove, has told the Guardian he is “fully behind” the creation of the new Antarctic sanctuary, which would be a key moment in the effort to protecting the world’s oceans.

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