Emperor penguins in focus as Antarctic talks start in Japan

TOKYO – Greater protections for endangered emperor penguins and how to manage growing tourism will top the agenda at talks on Antarctica opening in Japan on May 12.

Officials from the nearly 60 countries signatory to the Antarctic Treaty are meeting in Hiroshima for annual discussions on protecting and managing the fragile region.

The continent and its abundant wildlife are protected under the 1959 treaty, which designates it as a land of science and peace, while freezing territorial claims.

“The discussions taking place here in Hiroshima are especially important at a time when Antarctica is increasingly affected by global challenges such as climate change,” Mr Francisco Berguno, executive secretary of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat, told a news conference on May 12.

Mr Berguno warned that the continent “plays a critical role in regulating the earth’s climate and oceans”, and urged “long-term thinking, careful management and international trust”.

“Decisions taken here help ensure that human activity in Antarctica remains carefully managed, environmentally responsible and scientifically driven,” he added.

Around 400 government officials and researchers from some 50 countries, including the US, China, Russia and Ukraine, will take part in the meeting, according to Jiji Press.

Among the most closely watched issues in 2026 will be the status of emperor penguins, which was declared endangered in April by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is urging the animal be designated a specially protected species at the Hiroshima meeting, which could lead to restrictions on shipping and tourism, both of which are adding pressure on the penguins.

Their numbers have plummeted primarily due to climate change, which has caused the sea ice where they live, hunt and breed to break up earlier in 2026.

“These icons on ice may well be heading down the slippery slope towards extinction by the end of this century unless we act now,” said Mr Rod Downie, WWF chief adviser for polar and oceans, in a statement.

But it remains unclear if the meeting can reach consensus on upgrading protections, with some sources saying a decision was unlikely in Hiroshima.

Also high on the agenda will be a sharp rise in tourists – almost 120,000 visited Antarctica in 2024 to 2025 – and delegates will mull over potential restrictions on areas or activities, as well as possible quotas.

Experts warn existing frameworks do not take into account the increasing diversity of tourist activity in the region, from kayaking and hot-air ballooning, to motorbiking.

“How to regulate and manage tourism in Antarctica has become a key issue,” said Mr Hideki Uyama of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, who will chair the meeting. AFP