This essay looks at the issue of sovereignty with the Antarctic Treaty system. Sovereignty has continued to be an issue with states asserting their territorial sovereign rights in multiple ways. The issue of extending continental shelf has raised the issue of sovereignty to the forefront of the Antarctic treaty system. Calls for Antarctica to become based on the Common Heritage of Mankind principle have gained prominence. These calls aim to redress the issue of sovereignty but do not reflect the political reality of asking states to give up their sovereign right. Reform of the Antarctic treaty system has also been considered.