2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Recognised as the “Constitution of the Seas and Oceans”, in addition to setting out the legal regime for maritime areas under national jurisdiction, UNCLOS also establishes the legal framework for maritime areas beyond national jurisdiction, such as the high seas with the principle of “freedom of the seas” and the Zone with the principle of “common heritage of mankind”.
In 2023, the international community witnessed an important victory for multilateralism and a new milestone for international law, adopting a legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement).
In September 2023, the draft agreement was ready for signatures to enter into force as soon as possible. Regulations on deep seabed mining continue to be discussed within the Seabed Authority (ISA) framework.
In the context of the world moving towards conquering international waters with the desire to explore and exploit strategic minerals to serve green economic development and ensure national security, this poses an urgent need to balance the rights and interests of different groups of countries and ensure sustainable development goals.
The 13th Ocean Dialogue aims to raise public awareness of existing frameworks and emerging regulations for the management of international waters beyond national jurisdiction, assess opportunities and challenges related to cooperative exploration and conservation in international waters, and propose legal and policy recommendations to countries to promote the potential for cooperation in international waters.
The program includes four discussion sessions with the following contents: BBNJ Agreement, main contents and prospects; New prospects in regulations on the deep seabed; Opportunities and challenges in cooperation in international waters; Exploitation and conservation in international waters, legal and policy recommendations.
