Implementing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
Country / Region: Supraregional sector project
Focal point: Law of the Sea
Begin of project: December 1, 2006
End of project: December 10, 2013
Status of project: October 10, 2016
Illustration of maritime zones
Source: after Symonds et al., 1998
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines the different maritime zones and regulates marine sovereignty rights and rights of use, among others. According to Article 76 coastal states can - under certain geological conditions - extend their juridical continental shelf and thus gain marine sovereignty rights beyond the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone. Submissions must be backed up by detailed marine geoscientific data delineating the outer limits of the continental shelf and need to be filed directly with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) of the United Nations (UN). For many developing countries the extension of their juridical continental shelf bears a high economic potential. In the extended zones states are exclusively entitled to explore and exploit non-living-resources of the seabed and subsoil as well as sedentary species. Furthermore, they are enabled to conduct and coordinate research activities in these areas or the installation of marine-technical systems (such as pipelines). Beyond that, states can also impose environmental restraints and supervise their fulfilment according to UNCLOS.
On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) BGR's programme is providing coastal developing states or groups thereof support in delineating the outer limits of their continental shelf and preparing their submission to the CLCS. Many developing countries, especially in Africa, are momentarily not able to conduct necessary measurements and interpret the data. BGR's programme offers awareness raising and information of decision makers and experts from relevant institutions including training courses in marine geoscientific issues (often in cooperation with the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), and the UNEP Shelf Programme of UNEP/GRID-Arendal). Furthermore, the project assists in assessing the potential benefit of an extension and the costs to realise a successful submission. It also advises developing countries concerning planning, coordination and implementation of measurement activities. Moreover, the project is facilitating access to geoscientific data and helps in the analysis and interpretation of marine data and in the preparation of the submission documents.
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