The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) is a global alliance of environmental NGOs working to protect the Antarctic region and the Southern Ocean. It was founded in 1987 and currently has over 70 member organizations from 25 countries.
The IUCN, or International Union for Conservation of Nature, is an international organization that works to conserve nature and natural resources. It was founded in 1948 and has over 1,300 member organizations from over 170 countries.
The ASOC is a member of the IUCN, and the two organizations work together on a number of issues, including:
- Protecting the Antarctic Treaty System: The Antarctic Treaty System is a series of international agreements that govern human activity in Antarctica. The ASOC and IUCN work together to ensure that the Antarctic Treaty System is effective in protecting the environment.
- Creating marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean: The Southern Ocean is home to a unique and fragile ecosystem. The ASOC and IUCN work together to create marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean to protect this ecosystem.
- Combating climate change: Climate change is a major threat to the Antarctic region and the Southern Ocean. The ASOC and IUCN work together to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and to advocate for policies that will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Promoting sustainable tourism: Tourism is a growing industry in Antarctica. The ASOC and IUCN work together to ensure that tourism is conducted in a sustainable way that does not harm the environment.
The ASOC and IUCN are both important organizations working to protect the Antarctic region and the Southern Ocean. By working together, they can achieve even greater results.
Here are some additional details about the relationship between the ASOC and IUCN:
- The ASOC is a member of the IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). The WCPA is a network of experts who work on protected area policy and management.
- The ASOC is also a partner of the IUCN’s Polar Programme. The Polar Programme works to conserve the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
- The ASOC and IUCN have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines their areas of cooperation.
