The discussion will be providing a short overview of some of the conflicts and ambiguities in the Law of the Sea vis-a-vis four of the maritime zones and how these can pose challenges to an effective ocean governance. The following points will be discussed.
1. Seabed and sub-seabed beyond national jurisdictions. The environmental challenges, Nauru's 2021 declaration for its plans to seek mining approval, the mining code (or lack of it), the probable conflict between Seabed Authority's mandate and the new 2023 BBNJ Agreement.
2. Extended continental shelf beyond 200 miles and the backlog of submissions, Article 82 on royalty for exploitation of resources.
3. Continental shelves of the polar regions (Both Antarctic and Arctic).
4. The 2023 Agreement and the challenges in its implementation.
