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Antarctica is a true global commons. Governed only by a consensus-based international treaty, the continent was pledged to peaceful, scientific use by the international community in 1959. Fifty years later, Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem is being increasingly threatened by compounding pollutants. Invasive human activity such as illegal fishing and unregulated mass tourism are changing the nature of the continent. It is apparent that the poles, oceans, atmosphere, and land masses are intimately connected in the global ecosystem, and insufficient conservation efforts on the remote, uninhabited continent of Antarctica may eventually impact us all. |
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The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) is one of the few organizations exclusively devoted to protecting this large and vital area of the Earth. ASOC is a global coalition of existing environmental NGOs with 150 members across 40 countries worldwide. ASOC focuses on both the scientific and public policy implications of specific issues, producing data and developing tools to achieve long-term, sustainable conservation on Antarctica and in its surrounding oceans. ASOC runs campaigns to protect crucial parts of the ecosystem such as sub-glacial lakes, the ocean floor, threatened fish species, and Antarctic krill (the foundation of the food chain). ASOC also provides an independent, research-based voice on other politically charged issues such as climate change, whether companies should be allowed to patent and profit off of species unique to the Antarctic (known as biological prospecting), and the future regulation of tourism. |
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Erin ran the Antarctica marathon during the “International Polar Year,” which has been designated as a major international research initiative in the Antarctic and Arctic from March 2007 to March 2009. ASOC will enhance the environmental legacy of the International Polar Year by establishing sustainable scientific practices and examining the global perception of Antarctica and its wilderness values. ASOC’s global coalition is run almost entirely by expert volunteers at the Board and campaigner levels. This unique and efficient structure preserves the international jurisdiction of Antarctica, while targeting issue-level initiatives in a grassroots spirit, and avoiding unnecessary layers of bureaucracy. Antarctica holds the world records for the coldest, windiest, and highest (on average) continent. Erin did not break any of those records, but In the Running was inspired by this awesome environment, and will support ASOC's efforts to protect this vital and unique continent. 
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