Antarctic Rights Launches Global Consultation to Draft the Antarctica Declaration
“Voices for Antarctica” workshop series kicks off in London on 22 June, leading to a worldwide consultation process and the signing of the final Declaration in Cape Town this December.
London, UK, Monday, 22 June 2026 - Antarctic Rights, an organisation dedicated to advancing legal recognition and protection for Antarctica, today announced the launch of Voices for Antarctica, an international consultation process that invites people from around the world to contribute to the development of the Antarctica Declaration, a visionary document that seeks to recognise Antarctica as a living entity with inherent rights deserving of respect, protection and representation.
The consultation process will begin with an in-person workshop on the side lines of the London Climate Week on 22 June 2026, from 9:00am to 1:30pm BST, at Proposition Bethnal Green in London, bringing together environmental leaders, legal scholars, scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, artists, civil society organisations and members of the public to begin shaping the Declaration through a collaborative dialogue.
Hosted by an award winning environmental lawyer Cormac Cullinan, the inaugural workshop marks the beginning of a global conversation about humanity's relationship with the Earth's southernmost continent.
Following the London workshop, Antarctic Rights will host a series of online consultation events between 22 June and 15 September 2026, enabling participants from different countries to contribute their perspectives to the Declaration. These sessions are designed to ensure the Antarctica Declaration reflects a broad and genuinely global range of voices,
expertise, and lived experience, extending the consultation well beyond those able to attend in person.
"Antarctica belongs to no single nation. It is one of the last great wild places on Earth and plays a vital role in regulating the planet's climate and supporting all life. The time has come to ask not only how we manage Antarctica, but how we listen to it, respect it, and recognise its place within the wider community of life." said Cormac Cullinan, Director of Wild Law Institute.
The consultation process will culminate in the formal signing of the final Antarctica Declaration on 1 December 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, during Antarctica Week. The signing will mark the culmination of months of global dialogue and stand as a unified call to recognise and protect Antarctica as a living entity.
About Antarctic Rights
Antarctic Rights is an international organisation working to advance legal recognition and protection for Antarctica. Through research, advocacy, and global consultation, Antarctic Rights brings together legal experts, scientists, environmental advocates, and members of the public to champion the rights and wellbeing of the Antarctic continent.
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