A draft comprehensive environmental evaluation (CEE) for the proposed construction and operation of a new Chinese research station in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica, is open for public comment.
Details of the proposed construction and operation of a new Chinese research station in Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica, are contained in the draft CEE, provided to all Antarctic Treaty Parties in accordance with the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Environmental Protocol).
The draft CEE describes a proposal by China to construct and operate a seasonal (summer only) research station at Cox Point in Marie Byrd Land, to provide support for logistics and scientific research. The stated purpose of the new station is to serve as an international hub for various fields of study, especially related to marine and global climate change. Research is planned to focus on weather patterns, atmospheric interactions with ice and ocean, glacier movement, environmental monitoring, space physics, and geological studies.
Activities detailed in the draft CEE include construction and maintenance of the new research station, transportation of goods and personnel, and the management and monitoring of environmental impacts.
An electronic copy of the draft CEE is available online on the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat Website at: https://www.ats.aq/e/eia.html
The closing date for public comment is 5:00pm AEDT Monday 14 April 2025.
