Rights of Nature and the Antarctic: An Introduction

This publication provides an introduction to The Polar Journal's Special Issue on Rights of Nature and the Antarctic. The Special Issue aims to advance the scholarly discussion on Antarctic RoN. The authors discuss the concept of RoN and its relevance for the Antarctic, the interconnections between RoN and the recognition of Antarctica’s intrinsic value in the ATS, the question of who has rights or should be granted rights and 105 what rights these could be (substantive and procedural). They also consider how the concept of Antarctic RoN relates to the ATS and what steps could or should be taken to realise the ideas of Antarctic RoN if desired. The Special Issue aims to foster an inclusive space for debate that benefits from diverse perspectives and includes contributions by academics with different backgrounds, including social science, philosophy, geography and law.