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United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS)
United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS)
The United Nations is functioning to make sure the peaceful, cooperative, legally defined uses of the seas and oceans for the individual and customary advantage of humankind. The United Nations Law of the Sea Convention, on 10 December 1982 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, was opened for ratification. At the time of its adoption, the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention embodied in one instrument traditional rules for the uses of the oceans and at an equivalent time introduced new legal concepts and regimes and addressed new concerns. The United Nations Law of the Sea Convention also provided the framework for further development of specific areas of the law of the ocean . In accordance with its article 308 the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention entered. Today, it's the globally recognized regime handling all matters concerning the law of the ocean .
The United Nations Law of the Sea Convention comprises 320 articles and nine annexes, governing all aspects of ocean space, like delimitation, environmental control, marine research project , economic and commercial activities, transfer of technology and the settlement of disputes relating to ocean matters.
Urgent involves an efficient international regime over the seabed and therefore the ocean bottom beyond a clearly defined national jurisdiction set in motion a process that spanned 15 years and saw the creation of the United Nations Seabed Committee, the signing of a treaty banning nuclear weapons on the seabed, the adoption of the General Assembly’s declaration that all seabed resources beyond the bounds of national jurisdiction are the common heritage of mankind, and therefore the convening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
The UN’s work in adopting the 1982 Law of the Ocean Convention stands as a defining moment within the extension of law of nations to the vast, shared water resources of our planet.
Some of the key features of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention are:
- “Transit passage” is allowed to ships and aircraft of all countries through straits. This is used for international navigation. Regulation of navigational and other aspects of passage can be done by States bordering the straits.
- The Coastal States have the right to exercise sovereignty over their territorial sea which does not exceed 12 nautical miles. However, foreign vessels are allowed "innocent passage" through those waters.
- In a 200-nautical mile Coastal States has an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with reference to natural resources and certain economic activities. Also the Coastal States can exercise jurisdiction over marine science research and environmental protection.
- The Commission on the bounds of the ocean floor shall make recommendations to States on the shelf's outer boundaries when it extends beyond 200 miles
- Every State enjoys the conventional freedoms of overflight,navigation, research project and fishing on the high seas. They are obliged to adopt, or cooperate with other States in adopting measures to manage and conserve living resources.
- Disputes are often submitted to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea established under the Convention, to the International Court of Justice, or to arbitration. Conciliation is additionally available and, in certain circumstances, submission thereto would be compulsory.
- An exclusive jurisdiction is given to tribunals over deep seabed mining disputes.
