Protection of the Antarctic Peninsula before it is too late

Homeward Bound is a project that aims to promote sustainability and the leadership role of women in science. The project aims to create a network of 1,000 women scientists in 10 years who will work together to have a positive influence in the decision making for our planet. It started in 2016 and so far, 331 women from 40 nationalities and 25 different scientific fields have joined the network. Since last year, FOL member Alba Aguión is taking part on the project.

At the end of October, in an effort led by 9 of the Homeward Bound scientists, a publication was launched in Nature to call for protection on the Antarctic Peninsula. This area has recorded some of the greatest increases in temperature over the last 50 years. Banning fishing in coastal waters, limiting tourism and the constructions on land will help to protect the marine animals that live there. In the article, the factors threating this delicate ecosystem are exposed and a proposal of a Marine Protected Area is suggested. Unfortunately, the MPA has not been approbed during the last meeting of the Convention on the Conservation on the Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) after the Nature publication was out, but Homeward Bound will keep trying to get its protection for 2021!