France and the Antarctic Treaty System

France is a prominent player in international Antarctic affairs. As a claimant state, original signatory, and key player within all the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) institutions, with an extensive environmental legacy, France has consistently occupied an influential role in the international Antarctica political arena. This thesis examines key instances of French cooperation in the ATS, and in doing so, addresses questions relating to the nature of a single state's cooperation within a multilateral treaty regime. It considers the factors that motivate French cooperation within the ATS, and the strategic focus setting for France's Antarctic agenda through examining two key questions: what are the drivers that have led to France undertaking increasing cooperative engagement within the ATS over the last decade? And, through what principal means is France pursuing cooperation within the ATS? International regime theory, and in particular, the insights from the concept of complex interdependence, provides the analytical framework, and more widely assists in our understanding of international cooperation. This thesis also considers relevant aspects of international environmental law relating to France's engagement in the ATS. Three empirical case studies covering scientific and technical cooperation, marine living resource management, and environmental protection in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region, provide evidence that assists in identifying the key characteristics, and patterns of interaction that encourage and facilitate France's multi-¬¨‚ↂÄövÑv™‚ÄövÑv´level cooperation within the ATS, and that enhance our understanding of the contemporary cooperative trends of France as a key player within the ATS. France has maintained consistent engagement within the ATS following the entry into force of the Antarctic Treaty over fifty years ago, and has pursued a number of key policy objectives in order to achieve its Antarctic agenda. Several contributing factors are identified as influential in France's increasing cooperative behaviour within the ATS. France places significant emphasis on pursuing multilevel cooperative agreements within the ATS, particularly at the bilateral level.