Defending, Westarctica

Global Ecocide Prevention

Ecocide, the willful destruction of the natural environment, is an issue that is especially important in Western Antarctica.  Westarctica is actively waging a campaign to publicly shame corporations, countries, and individuals who destroy earth's ecosystems through intentional or negligent actions.  Ecocide is a crime against peace because it contributes to climate change and causes atrocities such as famine, drought, raised sea levels, deforestation, and the extinction of endangered species.

​Ecocide is not just a crime against the planet, it is a crime against humanity.  Only through international cooperation can we put an end to willful destruction and exploitation of natural resources.  As a member of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in 2015 Westarctica participated in planning sessions to implement the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in the coming decade.

​In 2018, Westarctica was an official partner with The Peoples Climate Movement to help organize the Rise For Climate protests.  Rise for Climate involved over 900 worldwide mass public demonstrations against the use of fossil fuels and other practices that damage the environment.

Preserving and Monitoring the WAIS

With an estimated volume of 2.2 million km3, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is one of the largest repositories of fresh water ice in the world.  And unfortunately, it's losing mass at an alarming rate, to the tune of 121 billion tons per year!  There has been a 75% increase in the loss of ice over the past twenty years.  If the ice sheet were to fail completely and slip into the ocean, global sea levels would rise by 15 feet (4.8 meters), resulting in catastrophic conditions for coastal areas.

Polar ice experts are just now beginning to pay increased attention to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, but we believe more action is needed before the situation becomes irreversible.  Westarctica is dedicated to educating the public about the melting Antarctic icecap and showing people that they can prevent rising sea levels by taking simple steps right in their own home!

​As a result of our 2015 letter writing campaign, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was included as a topic of discussion during the 2015 Paris Climate Accords.

Advocacy Through Occupation

Despite covering an area of 620,000 square miles (1,610,000 km2), Western Antarctica has not been claimed by any sovereign nation.  As a result, it lacks the full time, permanently-occupied research stations found in other regions of the Antarctic continent.  This lack of permanent occupation is directly responsible for decreased scientific activity in what is arguably the most ecologically important location on the planet.

Westarctica has, since its founding in 2001, dedicated itself to building and occupying a research station on the continent of Antarctica.  Once Western Antarctica has a permanent, year-round population, it will garner increased interest and resources from the international community.  Through occupation of the territory, we can achieve our goal of advocating for the conservation and preservation of this critical ecosystem.

In 2015, we coordinated with Valery Lukin, the head of the Russian Antarctic Expedition to secure permission for Westarctica to utilize their decommissioned Russkaya research station at Cape Burks in a future expedition to the continent.  This was a major step forward for our colonization efforts as well as our partnership with international Antarctic organizations.