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Institutional Framework for Marine Environmental Governance

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Handbook on Marine Environment Protection

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the various actors and institutions that play a role in the protection of the marine environment. These actors and institutions can be classified into three categories, namely (1) those that are established and operate within the law of the sea regime, (2) those that operate under the auspices of the United Nations and effectuate marine environmental objectives, and (3) those that operate within other specific regimes that interrelate with the oceans and send impulses which guide the direction of marine environmental governance. This chapter aspires to identify the various roles played by these diverse actors and institutions and examine how they interact with each other in striving to protect the marine environment.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In addition, numerous other provisions also make cross reference to the protection of the marine environment and conservation of living resources. See for instance: Articles 21(1)(f), 56(1)(b)(iii), 60(3) 61, 119, 123, 145, 236(2), and 290(1).

  2. 2.

    With respect to prevention of pollution to the marine environment, see for instance, Articles 94(5), 210(4) and (6), 211, 216(1), 217(1), 218(1), 219, 220(1), (2) and (3), 226(1)(a) and (b), 228(1), and 230(1) and (2) of UNCLOS.

  3. 3.

    Conversely, where the application of the CBD directly infringes upon the rights or obligations of States under UNCLOS, such as the establishment of protected areas in territorial or archipelagic which exclude the right of innocent passage (and therefore undermines the spirit of UNCLOS), the provisions of UNCLOS would take precedence (Wolfrum and Matz 2000: 475–478).

  4. 4.

    At the outset, it should be mentioned that UNCLOS through Articles 207 and 212 provides for the regulation of pollution of the marine environment from land-based sources and from or through the atmosphere respectively. Nevertheless, based on the context in which they were negotiated, Articles 207 and 212 did not intend to regulate the emissions of greenhouse gases, but rather the release of toxic, harmful or noxious substances into the marine environment from any source (Article 194(1), (3)(a)). Be that as it may, there is room to argue that greenhouse gases fall within the definition of ‘pollution to the marine environment’ as defined under Article 1(1)(4) of UNCLOS, which, when read together with the above provisions, could potentially categorize them as a source of marine pollution and thus falling within the scope of UNCLOS (Boyle 2012a, 832).

  5. 5.

    For instance, Articles 61, 63, 64, 118, 119, 123, 197, and 200 of UNCLOS.

  6. 6.

    It is pertinent to note that the IUCN is a ‘hybrid organization’ with representation from governments, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of experts and scientists (Willetts 2011: 72–73). Recently, the IUCN was treated by ITLOS as an ‘intergovernmental organization’ and invited to participate in the proceedings of the Request for an Advisory Opinion Submitted by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission through the submission of a written statement (see Order 2013/2 dated 24 May 2013, Case No. 21 of ITLOS), to which the IUCN obliged.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre for European Environmental Law, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Pradeep Singh

  2. International Research Training Group INTERCOAST – ‘Integrated Coastal Zone and Shelf-Sea Research, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany and University of Waikato, Waikato, New Zealand

    Pradeep Singh

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  1. Pradeep Singh
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Correspondence to Pradeep Singh .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. German Advisory Council on the Environment, Berlin, Germany

    Markus Salomon

  2. University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Till Markus

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Singh, P. (2018). Institutional Framework for Marine Environmental Governance. In: Salomon, M., Markus, T. (eds) Handbook on Marine Environment Protection . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60156-4_29

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