Latest news with #UNConventionontheLawoftheSea
Scoop
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Vanuatu Climate Minister Ralph Regenvanu On UN Ocean Conference
Press Release – Government of Vanuatu Nice Action Plan comes ahead of anticipated ruling from International Court of Justice that could set path for climate action linked to accountability 'It is time to move beyond voluntary pledges to making climate action a binding legal duty.' Statement from Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology & Geo-Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management for the Republic of Vanuatu NICE, FRANCE (9 June 2025) 'At this UN Ocean Conference, the stakes could not be clearer. 'Vanuatu's contributions to climate change are minimal, yet we — and our neighbours — suffer severe repeated climate impacts that devastate our economy and people. We are living through the collapse of ocean stability and witnessing a dangerous acceleration in sea-level rise and ocean temperatures. Our oceans are increasingly hostile even to the very creatures that live in them. The consequences of this will ripple through the entire food chain, hitting vulnerable countries like Vanuatu the hardest and ultimately affecting all of humanity and future generations. The role of our ocean as our greatest carbon sink is being threatened. 'The Nice Ocean Action Plan aligns with the standards set by the landmark International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Advisory Opinion delivered in May 2024, which made it clear: greenhouse gas emissions are marine pollution. And under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, all States are legally bound to prevent, reduce, and control them. This obligation extends not only to domestic emissions but to global ones as well. 'Even so, plans like these are voluntary. Promises without enforcement. Declarations without duty. 'Protecting the ocean from climate change should not be a matter of choice. We need concrete mechanisms and independent monitoring to ensure that nations uphold their legal responsibilities. Conferences like this one, and the upcoming COP30, must not leave frontline nations feeling that nothing is changing — despite the overwhelming urgency. 'It is time to move beyond voluntary pledges to making climate action a binding legal duty.' Climate action must be grounded in a robust framework of legal principles: human rights, the right to self-determination, the duty to prevent harm, precautionary approaches, intergenerational equity, and obligations enshrined in key international treaties — from the Biodiversity Convention to the UNFCCC to the Law of the Sea. 'That's why we eagerly await the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion on the broader climate obligations of nations, in hopes of a strong ruling supporting global accountability for the climate crisis and enforceable climate action. 'It's time for States to catch up with the law, with the science, and with the urgency of this moment.'
Scoop
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Vanuatu Climate Minister Ralph Regenvanu On UN Ocean Conference
'It is time to move beyond voluntary pledges to making climate action a binding legal duty.' Statement from Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology & Geo-Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management for the Republic of Vanuatu NICE, FRANCE (9 June 2025) 'At this UN Ocean Conference, the stakes could not be clearer. 'Vanuatu's contributions to climate change are minimal, yet we — and our neighbours — suffer severe repeated climate impacts that devastate our economy and people. We are living through the collapse of ocean stability and witnessing a dangerous acceleration in sea-level rise and ocean temperatures. Our oceans are increasingly hostile even to the very creatures that live in them. The consequences of this will ripple through the entire food chain, hitting vulnerable countries like Vanuatu the hardest and ultimately affecting all of humanity and future generations. The role of our ocean as our greatest carbon sink is being threatened. 'The Nice Ocean Action Plan aligns with the standards set by the landmark International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Advisory Opinion delivered in May 2024, which made it clear: greenhouse gas emissions are marine pollution. And under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, all States are legally bound to prevent, reduce, and control them. This obligation extends not only to domestic emissions but to global ones as well. 'Even so, plans like these are voluntary. Promises without enforcement. Declarations without duty. 'Protecting the ocean from climate change should not be a matter of choice. We need concrete mechanisms and independent monitoring to ensure that nations uphold their legal responsibilities. Conferences like this one, and the upcoming COP30, must not leave frontline nations feeling that nothing is changing — despite the overwhelming urgency. 'It is time to move beyond voluntary pledges to making climate action a binding legal duty.' Climate action must be grounded in a robust framework of legal principles: human rights, the right to self-determination, the duty to prevent harm, precautionary approaches, intergenerational equity, and obligations enshrined in key international treaties — from the Biodiversity Convention to the UNFCCC to the Law of the Sea. 'That's why we eagerly await the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion on the broader climate obligations of nations, in hopes of a strong ruling supporting global accountability for the climate crisis and enforceable climate action. 'It's time for States to catch up with the law, with the science, and with the urgency of this moment.'
Japan Forward
4 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Chinese Intrusions Pose Double-edged Threat to Japan
このページを 日本語 で読む Recently, a Chinese oceanographic research vessel conducted research activities without Japan's consent in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The offense took place around Japan's southernmost territory, Okinotorishima Island in Ogasawara Village. Such conduct is a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China signed. Beijing's behavior is completely unacceptable. Beijing must apologize and never again conduct such improper activities. Its behavior suggests that the intruding vessel could have been conducting a military-related survey. We urge the Japanese government to do all it can to strengthen the nation's surveillance and defense systems to prevent such intrusions. On May 26, a Japan Coast Guard aircraft spotted the Chinese oceanographic research vessel in question off Okinotorishima. It was extending a wire-like object into the sea in Japan's EEZ about 270 km east of the islands. The plane's crew radioed the ship, demanding it desist from its actions. However, the research vessel only left the EEZ about five hours later. This is the first time since January 2024 that Chinese survey activities have been confirmed in the EEZ around Okinotorishima. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi revealed that he had protested to the Chinese, calling on them to immediately cease such behavior. That was certainly justified. In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning sought to legitimize China's actions by contending that Okinotorishima is "not an island but a rock." She also said, "The Japanese side has no right to interfere." We cannot agree in any way whatsoever with such unpersuasive arguments. Okinotorishima is located in the Pacific Ocean about 1,700 kilometers from Tokyo. It consists of two islands upon a coral atoll about 11 kilometers in circumference. The islands remain above sea level even at high tide and meet the definition of an island under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. According to the Convention: "An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide." Beijing only started to make the false accusation that Okinotorishima is a "rock" for which an EEZ cannot be established in the 21st century. From that time, however, China began to carry out marine surveys around Okinotorishima without Japan's consent. It is believed to be collecting data on the ocean floor, including topography and water temperatures. Such information is critical for submarine operations. These operations represent a double-edged threat to Japan, in terms of national security, as well as safeguarding its economic interests. Meanwhile, another Chinese marine research vessel was active in Japan's EEZ around the Senkaku Islands on May 11. China had also positioned a maritime observation buoy without permission in waters of the EEZ off the coast of Japan's westernmost Yonaguni Island. In response, the Japanese government has officially protested. It was confirmed on May 28 that the buoy had been removed. However, China's foreign ministry has declared that the removal was for "maintenance." There is therefore a threat that Chinese buoys will again be introduced into those waters. Whether it is around Okinotorishima or Senkaku and other Nansei Islands stretching from Kyushu to near Taiwan, China's high-handed behavior in Japanese waters cannot be tolerated. A Chinese maritime buoy similar in appearance to the one installed around Yonaguni and elsewhere in Okinawa Prefecture. (From the website of the Institute of Oceanography, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Maroc
4 days ago
- Politics
- Maroc
Moroccan, Mauritanian Fisheries Groups Pledge Joint Management of Small Pelagic Stocks
Fisheries professionals from Morocco and Mauritania on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to the sustainable and collaborative management of shared small pelagic fish stocks, during a two-day meeting in Dakhla aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation. The Moroccan Confederation of Industrial Pelagic Fishing Shipowners (COMAIP) and Mauritania's National Fishing Federation (FNP) stressed the strategic role of these fisheries in food security, regional development, and marine ecosystem balance. The event builds on a Declaration of Intent signed in Agadir last February and supports the broader Fisheries Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. Participants called for ecosystem-based management guided by scientific data and aligned with international standards, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. A joint committee was announced to coordinate scientific and technical exchange, propose harmonized policies, and enhance control and traceability systems. FNP President Yahefdhou Elbechir and COMAIP President Mohamed Lamine Hormatallah both emphasized the need for coordinated action to preserve marine resources for future generations. Experts at the meeting described the initiative as a model for regional cooperation in sustainable fisheries governance. (MAP: 05 June 2025)
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Nauru, Metals Company Revise Deep Sea Mining Agreement
The updated 'sponsorship agreement' was announced in a press release from The Metals Company. Nauru has revised its commercial agreement with Canadian mining group The Metals Company for deep sea mining in international waters. The updated 'sponsorship agreement' was announced in a press release from The Metals Company. It comes at a time of increasing uncertainty in the deep sea mining industry with both the US and International Seabed Authority (ISA) respectively stating each offers a licencing pathway to mine the seabed in international waters. Nauru president David Adeang said in the press release that The Metals Company has been a 'trusted and respectful' partner to Nauru. 'We have worked to establish a responsible pathway for deep sea mineral development, one that can serve for a model for other developing states.' The area of international waters currently under the spotlight is the Clarion Clipperton Zone – a vast area of the Pacific Ocean that sits between Hawai'i, Kiribati and Mexico, and spans 4.5 million square kilometres. The zone is of high commercial interest because it has an abundance of polymetallic nodules that contain valuable metals like cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper, which are used to make products such as smartphones and electric batteries. The minerals are also used in weapons manufacturing. Nauru has special rights in the Clarion Clipperton Zone through the ISA, which under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has jurisdiction over it. Since 2011, Nauru has partnered with The Metals Company to explore its area of the zone for minerals through that framework. At the same time, the ISA – which counts all Pacific nations among its 169-strong membership – has been developing a commercial mining code. The process, which began in 2014 and is ongoing, has been criticised by The Metals Company as effectively blocking it and Nauru's commercial mining interests. The company has also praised the US deepsea mining licencing pathway, which was effectively reactivated through an executive order President Donald Trump issued in April. That legislation, the Deep Sea Hard Mineral Resources Act, states the US can grant mining permits in international waters. At face value, it offers an alternative licencing route to commercial seabed activity in the high seas to the ISA. However, any cross-over between jurisdictions and authorities remains untested. In the press release from The Metals Company, its chief executive Gerard Barron made direct reference to Trump's order, titled 'Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources'. He said he was heartened by its call 'for a joint assessment of a seabed benefit-sharing mechanism' and was certain that 'big ocean states' like Nauru would continue to play a leading role in the deep sea mining industry. The company confirmed two weeks ago it would not be applying for a commercial mining license through the ISA in June. Instead, it has said it would apply exclusively apply through US regulations. No mention of that decision was made in the press release. 'We remain unshakeable in our commitment to developing this project responsibly, transparently, and in a way that delivers real benefits to Nauruans,' Barron said. ISA secretary general Leticia Carvalho has previously said the US had no authority to offer permits in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. 'Circumventing the regulatory authority of the ISA not only breaches international law, but also erodes trust,' Carvalho said. In addition to Nauru, Tonga, Kiribati and the Cook Islands have special rights in the Clarion Clipperton Zone through the ISA.
