Doha, October 07 (QNA) - The 3rd session of the 12th Conference of the Advisory Board on the Law of the Sea (ABLOS), organized by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), convened Tuesday in Doha to examine the evolving landscape of ocean governance and the multifaceted challenges it presents.
Chaired by HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani, member of the Standing Committee on the Law of the Sea Convention, the session titled "Advance in Ocean Governance" brought together leading scholars and experts to address key issues through a series of research papers exploring legal, environmental, and cultural dimensions.
Professor Tullio Scovazzi from the University of Milano-Bicocca presented his "Underwater Cultural Heritage" paper, emphasizing the global imperative to safeguard submerged heritage due to its immense historical value.
He critiqued the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), noting that while significant, its provisions, particularly Articles 149 and 303, offer only limited protection for underwater cultural assets.
Dr. Elizabeth Macpherson of the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, delivered a paper titled " Equity and Justice in the Design of Blue Carbon Legal: Reflections from Aotearoa New Zealand," highlighting the policy complexities surrounding blue carbon initiatives.
She examined the extent to which existing legal instruments equitably distribute benefits from blue carbon projects and raised concerns about the potential adverse impacts on indigenous communities’ rights and interests.
Professor Beatriz Martinez Romera from the CLIMA Center at the University of Copenhagen addressed decarbonization in the maritime shipping sector amid advisory opinions from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the International Court of Justice.
She noted that international shipping accounts for approximately 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, citing data from the International Maritime Organization.
Romera referenced Article 2 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which aims to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at levels that prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system, a cornerstone of global climate mitigation efforts.
In a related presentation, Tihao Zeng from the University of Geneva discussed "Integrating Ocean Observation into Plastics Governance: Legal Pathways under UNCLOS."
He outlined the alarming scale of marine plastic pollution, revealing that millions of tons enter the oceans annually, with 66.7 percent remaining undetectable under current monitoring frameworks.
Zeng attributed the surge in plastic pollution to relentless production growth driven by global economic expansion.
He noted that 99 percent of plastics are derived from fossil-based raw materials with chemical additives, making them a major contributor to marine environmental degradation. (QNA)