Researcher José Xavier Leads Portuguese Delegation at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings in Milan
Researcher José Xavier, member of the CFE and the Marine Research Lab, once again represented Portugal at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM), this time serving as head of the national delegation at the edition recently held in Milan, Italy.
Since Portugal ratified the Antarctic Treaty in January 2010 and joined the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) in 2014, this marked the country’s 12th in-person participation in the Consultative Meetings. These annual gatherings bring together signatory states to coordinate science with public policy development in a context of international cooperation, ensuring the peaceful use and conservation of the Antarctic continent.
The 2025 edition featured the submission of 315 scientific and technical papers, 11 of which were authored by the Portuguese delegation. These contributions addressed key topics such as marine spatial planning, the 2024 Portuguese Antarctic scientific expedition, climate change, biology, conservation, environmental monitoring, pollution, as well as Portugal’s integration in international projects and organizations, and education and outreach on the polar region.
The Portuguese delegation also included the in-person participation of Catarina Frazão Santos, researcher at the University of Lisbon, who also served as a delegate. Portugal’s presence at these meetings, held annually, underscores the country’s ongoing commitment to polar science and environmental protection in Antarctica.
The Portuguese delegation is formally appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the FCT, reflecting the close coordination between science diplomacy, foreign policy, and national research efforts.
The leadership of José Xavier and the contributions of the Portuguese team were highlighted as examples of Portugal’s continued dedication to environmentally responsible governance grounded in scientific evidence, within the framework of the Antarctic Treaty System. This participation reaffirms Portugal’s active role in protecting one of the planet’s most fragile ecosystems, at a time when the impacts of climate change are increasingly visible and alarming to the international community.