Antarctica is increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts, with the continent predicted to warm by ∼4 °C by 2100 under a ‘business as usual’ greenhouse gas emission scenario. Simultaneously, human activity, primarily in the form of scientific research and the fishing and tourism industries, is putting increasing pressure on Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments and ecosystems. We evaluate the effectiveness of the Antarctic area protection system in promoting resilience to climate change impacts. Under the framework of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), terrestrial and marine areas can be designated to protect locations of scientific, environmental, historic and intrinsic value and to facilitate operational coordination to minimise environmental impact. However, climate change is not mentioned explicitly in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty and is little considered in guidelines for the designation and management of the region’s existing protected areas. Climate change impacts are considered in only 17% of Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) management plans and, at a time when threats to Antarctic environments are increasing, the last decade has seen an 84% decline in ASPA designation rate compared with levels in the 1980s. Nevertheless, momentum is building within the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the ATS’s Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP) to deliver an evidence-based, integrated response to climate change that includes the use of protected areas. The Antarctic scientific community is well-placed to support decision-makers in the use of existing conservation management tools through provision of climate change forecasts at sub-regional scales, data on anticipated environmental change, and predicted species and ecosystems responses. Ultimately, reducing global greenhouse gas emission will provide the greatest protection from climate change impacts within Antarctica.

南极洲越来越容易受到气候变化的影响，在“一切照旧”的温室气体排放情景下，预计到 2100 年南极洲将变暖约 4°C。同时，主要以科学研究、渔业和旅游业为形式的人类活动正在对南极和南大洋的环境和生态系统施加越来越大的压力。我们评估了南极地区保护系统在提高对气候变化影响的适应能力方面的有效性。在南极条约体系（ATS）的框架下，可以指定陆地和海洋区域来保护具有科学、环境、历史和内在价值的地点，并促进业务协调以尽量减少对环境的影响。然而，《南极条约环境保护议定书》没有明确提及气候变化，该地区现有保护区的指定和管理指南也很少考虑气候变化。只有 17% 的南极特别保护区 (ASPA) 管理计划考虑了气候变化的影响，而且在南极环境面临的威胁日益增加的情况下，过去十年中 ASPA 指定率与南极特别保护区的水平相比下降了 84%。 1980 年代。尽管如此，南极研究科学委员会 (SCAR) 和 ATS 的环境保护委员会 (CEP) 正在形成势头，以提供基于证据的综合应对气候变化，包括使用保护区。南极科学界通过提供分区域尺度的气候变化预测、预期环境变化的数据以及预测的物种和生态系统响应，可以很好地支持决策者使用现有的保护管理工具。最终，减少全球温室气体排放将为南极洲内的气候变化影响提供最大的保护。