Law of the Sea
26 Articles

Countering Russian Lawfare and Gray Zone Operations
Using international venues to confront Russian malign efforts is key to effectively calling out illegitimate and illegal Russian activities.

An Interim Report on the ICJ’s Climate Advisory Opinion
The International Court of Justice's proceedings in a climate change advisory opinion case stand to issue important, authoritative guidance about the nature and interaction of…

What to Watch for Following Historic Climate Opinion from ‘The Oceans Court’
The Tribunal issued the first-ever opinion by an international court articulating States’ obligations with respect to climate change.

The Just Security Podcast: A Landmark Court Opinion on the Ocean and Climate Change
The ITLOS decision is a major victory for the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law.

Q&A: ‘The Oceans Court’ Issues Landmark Advisory Opinion on Climate Change
ITLOS determined that UNCLOS requires parties to take specific, concrete steps to prevent, reduce, and control greenhouse gas emissions.

The Just Security Podcast: The ‘Year of Climate’ in International Courts
2024 is the “Year of Climate” in international courts. Naima Fifita and Joana Setzer join the podcast to discuss what these cases could mean for the fight against climate change,…

The ‘Year of Climate’ in International Courts
A backgrounder on how climate cases came before four international courts, with a summary of issues each court has been asked to address, offers a one-stop resource to refer to…

Where is the International Law We Believed In Ukraine?
International lawyers must design an improved legal architecture of resilience and recovery to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.

National Security at the United Nations This Week (Jan. 22-Jan. 26)
Keep up to date on developments at the United Nations at the intersection of national security, human rights, and the rule of law.

The Newport Manual on the Law of Naval Warfare Facilitates Interoperability
The Newport Manual on the Law of Naval Warfare seeks to lay out the complex and at times overlapping legal frameworks around war at sea. Its aim is to prepare for and deter war…

New High Seas Treaty Prepares International Community for Sustainable and Equitable “Blue Economy”
Following the international community’s 1982 adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), often referenced as the “constitution of the ocean,”…

The Russian Intercept of the U.S. Reaper and International Law
The Russian operation almost certainly violated the international law obligation of due regard and, perhaps, the prohibition on using force. Nevertheless, the Biden administration…