for the course 3ES3

1. United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea
By: Izabella Swaren

2. History
The convention occurred because the seas were being over used
There was no law or restrictions on most of the seas
They were being exploited environmentally and for their resources,
such as fish
Countries started moving their influence farther and farther from the
coast

3. Conference
-The convention was so important and ground-
breaking because it set limits for everyone
regarding the seas
-No longer could countries decide for
themselves what to do and what not to do
-Gave rights to all countries whether they are
located on a sea or not for example
-Now were able to settle disputes with more
ease
Arvid Pardo in 1967 President of Malta

4. Navigation
Countries needed regulations around where they could go
Allows countries to peacefully pass through the water areas
Must respect international and coastal states laws

5. EEZs around the World

6. Deep Seabed Mining
An example of how the convention works
Works to make the international community
come together to “behave in a consistent
manner” when it comes to sea laws, with
“dialogue, negotiations and agreement”

7. Protection of the Marine Environment
The convention addresses six main sources of
ocean pollution:
-Land-based and coastal activities
-Continental-shelf drilling
-Potential seabed mining
-Ocean dumping
-Vessel-source pollution
-Pollution from or through the atmosphere

8. Marine Scientific Research
Researchers are allowed to go into other
country’s seas to conduct peaceful research

9. Settlement of Disputes
Two approaches (regarded as a landmark in the international
law) were decided upon:
-Direct negotiations
-Binding settlements

10. Canadian Interests
Ice Covered Areas
Gulf of Maine Dispute

11. Actions of the Canadian Government
In 2006 Prime Minister Steven Harper called
upon the United States to “ratify the UN
convention on the law of sea”
In 2008 the Federal Natural Resources
Minister Gary Lunn said that countries
interested in Canada’s north are all
working together to divide it up and create
boarders (USA, Denmark with Canada)

12. Goal of the Convention
“the goal of the organization is to help
states to better understand and
implement the convention in order to
utilize their marine resources in an
environment relatively free of conflict and
conductive to development, safeguarding
the rule of law in the oceans”

13. The Future