The Antarctic Treaty is considered one of the most important geopolitical treaties in UN history.

Since 1961 he has stipulated that the uninhabited Antarctica is reserved exclusively for peaceful use and, in particular, for scientific research.

The continent may not be used either militarily or industrially.

Parallel to the meeting in Berlin that started on Tuesday, the advisory environmental committee also meets within the framework of the contract: Its work is intended to preserve Antarctica as a nature reserve worthy of protection, based on the environmental protection protocol adopted in Madrid in 1991.

However, attempts to designate three new marine protected areas have failed several times in recent years.

The almost seventy-year-old polar researcher and extreme adventurer Arved Fuchs, who was born in Bad Bramstedt, knows many southern and northern polar regions from his own expeditions.

Mr Fuchs, this Friday a demonstration in Berlin involving, among others, Fridays for Future and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition is intended to draw attention to the issue of Antarctic and marine protection.

A video message recorded by you will be played.

Why are you supporting the protesters?

I even expressly support the commitment of the participants.

When I first came to Antarctica with Reinhold Messner for my planned crossing in 1989, we were just discussing how the Antarctic Treaty should proceed.

It was feared that the contract could be watered down.

Fortunately, the environmental protection protocol was then signed in Madrid.

That was really groundbreaking;

a unique opportunity humanity has seized to protect a continent.

It is imperative that this protected status be maintained and expanded.

In my opinion, the whole topic needs to be given much more publicity.

The designation of three marine protected areas has been discussed for up to nine years: in the Weddell Sea, west of the Antarctic Peninsula and three blocks along East Antarctica.

Why are the negotiations stalling?

There have always been two countries that have been at odds with each other: Russia and China.

Both fish there intensively and have strong economic interests.

Fishing should not be restricted under any circumstances.

Is there any hope that an agreement can be reached soon?

A crucial difficulty is that all decisions must be taken unanimously.

If you look at the current political situation, where both nations tend to polarize and diverge in interests, it is certainly not immediately to be expected that an agreement will be reached.

I can't imagine that we will suddenly come to a solution in Berlin.

It is all the more important that the public appear, that young people appear and position themselves.

You have to keep lifting the continent out of anonymity.

You have to explain why the protected areas are also relevant for us in the northern hemisphere.

What concrete effects would it have if the three areas were identified as proposed?