  The lunar poles are unique environments of both great scientific and,
increasingly, commercial interest. Consequently, a tension exists between the
twin objectives of (a) Exploring the lunar poles for both scientific and
commercial purposes and ultimately supporting a lunar economy; and (b)
Minimising the environmental impacts on the lunar polar regions so as to
preserve them for future scientific investigations. We suggest that the best
compromise between these equally valuable objectives would be to restrict
scientific and commercial activities to the lunar South Pole, while placing a
moratorium on activities at the North Pole until the full consequences of human
activities at the South Pole are fully understood and mitigation protocols
established. Depending on the pace at which lunar exploration proceeds, such a
moratorium might last for several decades in order to properly assess the
effects of exploration and commercial activities in regions surrounding the
South Pole. A longer term possibility might be to consider designating the
lunar North Polar region as a (possibly temporary) Planetary Park. Similar
protected status might also be desirable for other unique lunar environments,
and, by extension, other scientifically important localities elsewhere in the
Solar System.
