The Law of the Sea in the Age of Building an Appropriate Arctic Ocean Governance Addressing Climate Change Issues

Abstract

Polar regions stand out due to the presence of rare and sensitive ecosystems, their vulnerability to climate change and other environmental threats and their importance for Indigenous communities, at the regional level, and for humankind as a whole. The Arctic region, is experiencing unexpected issues as a result of climate change effects. The law of the sea, as a prerequisite for ocean governance, constitutes a solid foundation for establishing an appropriate governance in this region to tackle current and future climate change issues. Therefore, the practice of the law of the sea in the region will be explored and the consideration of Arctic region’s specificities on this practice will be analysed.