Work Package 1 (WP1) encompassed literature review on Tourism and MPAs, establishing the institutional evolution of both cases. Treaty’s recommendations, measures, decisions, and resolutions on the themes were gathered, enabling POLARGOV to establish how Antarctic Tourism and MPAs were progressively dealt by the Treaty. At the same time, main stakeholders were also identified. In addition, a literature review was also conducted in order to map the state-of-art of Antarctic tourism and MPAs governance, identifying institutional innovation proposals on public-private partnerships and and co-management for both cases.
Work Package 2 (WP2) focused on stakeholders’ perceptions on tourism and MPAs management. Therefore, the first fieldwork activity was conducted in Ushuaia (Argentina), and Punta Arenas (Chile) in January 2018. Interviews consisted of one part of open-ended questions, which asked stakeholders about their experience and impressions on Antarctic tourism growth and MPAs designation process. The second part of interviews used Q Methodology. With NVivo, WP1 data was organised in a set of statements which were presented to stakeholders for their evaluation.
In April POLARGOV organised the Polar Governance Workshop which took place at the Royal Geographical Society. A newsletter with pictures and a summary of the event was shared with participants. POLARGOV also presented two papers at the 59th International Studies Association Annual Conference.
In May, a second fieldwork took place during the Annual Meeting of IAATO. Also in May, the project’s logo, website and twitter account were launched. In June, POLARGOV presented another paper at the 35th Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research Biennial Meetings.
POLARGOV initiated WP2 for MPAs during the Workshop on Spatial Management and the Working Group in Ecosystem Monitoring and Management in July. POLARGOV also presented at the 25th World Congress of Political Science. This paper was later developed into a peer-reviewed publication published by the Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs in March 2019.
In September, the first seminar of the project was organised at the University of São Paulo (Brazil). In October, more interviews were conducted during the 37th Meetings of CCAMLR. As many contacts were established during the event, final interviews were scheduled for the end of the year.
In December, POLARGOV organised a Politics and International Relations outreach session with the Higher Education Outreach Network (HEON). Thomas Knyvett College students visited Royal Holloway, University of London for a diplomatic decision-making game on MPAs and fishing zones.
For Work Package 3 (WP3) Q Methodology scores were analysed and interpreted in January 2019, focusing on stakeholders’ views on the openness, operability and compliance to the Antarctic Treaty. Tourism stakeholders were identified as cooperative, conservative, protective, and liberal. Their main difference lied on the extent they believed IAATO and Treaty parties could work together when managing tourism. These results were presented during the SRI Seminars in the University of Leeds and during the Antarctic Tourism Workshop in Rotterdam.
In May, WP3 was also concluded with the analysis of MPAs stakeholders. They were identified as Opened, Resolute, Concerned, and Sceptical conservationists. Their main difference was the degree and kind of threat they identified in CCAMLR’s operation. MPAs results were presented at the University of Leeds in September 2019.
In June POLARGOV participated at the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Awards 2019. The project was a finalist at the category ‘Scientific Careers for Policy-making’ and a video was recorded. In the project's last months, responses to the open-ended questions were analysed, supporting Q Methodology's results. And a manuscript on Antarctic tourism management has also been drafted.
