UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
22 Articles
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.
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.
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…
Assessing Military Operations in the Black Sea a Year Into Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine
Naval mining threats and the grain shipping deal demand more clarity from Turkey on its interpretation of the Montreux Convention.
Weaponizing Underwater Archaeology in the Russia-Ukraine War – and Beyond
A growing trend of strategic underwater cultural heritage claims risks undermining international rules of maritime sovereignty.
China, Climate Change, Credibility: Why It’s (Finally) Time for the US to Join the Law of the Sea Convention
The US absence at the table is more perplexing than ever, considering how these issues will define maritime governance in the 21st century.
Part 2 – Tanker, Jailer, Soldier, Sailor: Functional Immunity and the Enrica Lexie Award
At the heart of the Enrica Lexie dispute-- a clash between an Italian tanker and an Indian fishing boat-- lies a question of jurisdictional immunity: was India barred from exercising…
Part 1 – Tanker, Jailer, Soldier, Sailor: Functional Immunity and the Enrica Lexie Award
At the heart of the Enrica Lexie dispute-- a clash between an Italian tanker and an Indian fishing boat-- lies a question of jurisdictional immunity: was India barred from exercising…
Secretary Pompeo’s Surprising Defense of International Law, Allies, and the Law of the Sea Convention
Sec. Pompeo's statement on China's excessive maritime claims is right in substance, but it showcases the schizophrenic U.S. approach to its allies, the law of the sea, and international…