Cities and Sustainable Ocean Governance: A Neglected Link

Abstract

While the detrimental effects of cities have received increasing attention from decision-makers and scholars, their role in sustainable ocean governance and within public international law has often been neglected. This article aims to explore the ocean-city nexus at the interface of sustainability. This is done by reviewing the impacts of cities on the marine and coastal environment and by analysing potentially applicable rules and obligations in public international law. In the understanding that these questions are part of a broader discourse on the integration of non-State actors in public international law, it is demonstrated that cities may be important actors in sustainable ocean governance. With this, the article aims to contribute to the understanding of what sustainable cities may entail and to highlight the significance of the ocean-city nexus for sustainable development.