Abstract: Currently, the initial discussions on Antarctic governance decision-making are undertaken by different organizations and institutions within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). As an important component of the ATS, the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) is a permanent body established under Article 11 of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty without independent decision-making powers. Since its establishment in 1998, CEP has undergone significant changes in its organizational structure and operations. The early CEP consisted of annual meetings and informal intersessional groups. With the increasing importance of environmental protection and climate change issues, two formal subsidiary groups have been set up, one to review the management plans of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas/Antarctic Specially Managed Areas and the other to implement the Climate Change Response Work Program. On these two issues, a hierarchical recommendation structure of “Formal Subsidiary Group–CEP–Antaractic Treaty Consulative Meeting” has been formed. Based on this change, China should pay attention to the latest CEP issues, and to the work during the intersessional period. In particular, cultivating professionals at all levels should be cultivated, so that they have the opportunity to deeply participate in the various CEP discussions, thus comprehensively improving the pertinence and effectiveness of China’s Antarctic institutional discursive power.

Key words: Antarctic governance, environmental protection, Committee for Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty System