At a just-concluded session in Madrid, Spain, 39 nations reached a tentative compromise on updating the Antarctica Treaty.; Washington, dragging its feet all the way, needs steady pressure to accept the compromise. While other nations -- including Japan, Germany and New Zealand -- pushed for a permanent ban on commercial exploitation, U.S. and British delegates held out for a short moratorium.; Public pressure at home likely nudged the holdouts to accept a 50-year moratorium on mining and mineral exploration. The draft specifies that, when the moratorium expires, it may be lifted only with approval of two-thirds of the signatories.; Next month, the original Antarctica Treaty will celebrate its 30th anniversary. What better way to honor a model international agreement than to continue its tradition of preserving Antarctica for scientific research, and keeping it off-limits to military bases, commercial development and mining.; Antarctica is as pristine as environments come these days. With a climate harsher than the Arctic's, it has less capacity for absorbing intervention and abuse.; The Earth endows us with a wealth worth vastly more than the artificial commodity value of its resources. It may turn out that preserving Antarctica will reap humankind more benefits than the yield from digging up and selling off all its gold, silver and oil.
In Madrid , Spain , 39 nations reached a tentative compromise on updating the Antarctic Treaty by calling for a 50-year moratorium on mining and mineral exploration . While other nations pushed for a permanent ban on commercial exploitation , U.S. and British governments held out for a short moratorium . When the moratorium expires it may be lifted only with approval of two - thirds of the signatories . This agreement continues the 30-year Antarctic Treaty tradition of preserving Antarctica for scientific research and making it off - limits to military operations , commercial exploitation and mining , which may be more beneficial than digging up and selling off its resources .