Regime Divergence or Convergence? Law of the Sea and Climate Change

In the 2nd session of the STL Law & Sustainability Colloquium, Dr Nilüfer Oral discussed the existing frameworks in relation to protection of the marine environment under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and climate change under the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) regime. The discussion identified the gaps within each regime, the gaps between the two regimes and how synergies may be developed to address the important climate risks to the health of the ocean. Dr Oral is Director of the Centre of International Law (CIL) at the National University of Singapore and is a member of the UN International Law Commission and Co-chair of the Study Group on sea-level rise in relation to international law.