What international environmental agreement, signed in Washington, D.C., in 1959, dedicated an entire continent exclusively to peaceful scientific research and prohibited military activity, nuclear tests, and radioactive waste disposal?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. The Antarctic Treaty

  1. Step 1: Originating from the cooperative scientific research conducted during the 1957–1958 International Geophysical Year (IGY).
  2. Step 2: The Antarctic Treaty (entering into force in 1961) froze all territorial sovereignty claims south of South latitude, establishing Antarctica as a demilitarized zone dedicated to international scientific collaboration.
Answer
The Antarctic Treaty
Why not the others: 'The Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy' Adopted in 1991, this non-binding declaration established environmental monitoring across eight Arctic nations; 'The Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection' Signed in 1991 as an addition to the Antarctic Treaty, this protocol designated Antarctica as a 'natural reserve' and banned mining; 'The Svalbard Treaty' The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 recognized Norwegian sovereignty over the Spitsbergen archipelago while granting commercial rights to signatories.

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