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Harrison, James --- "Resources of the International Seabed Area" [2016] ELECD 1350; in Morgera, Elisa; Kulovesi, Kati (eds), "Research Handbook on International Law and Natural Resources" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016) 390

Book Title: Research Handbook on International Law and Natural Resources

Editor(s): Morgera, Elisa; Kulovesi, Kati

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781783478323

Section: Chapter 19

Section Title: Resources of the International Seabed Area

Author(s): Harrison, James

Number of pages: 21

Abstract/Description:

The seabed beyond national jurisdiction is the location of a number of significant mineral resources, including valuable metals and scarce elements. Access to these resources is subject to a special regime found in Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This chapter considers the regulatory framework that applies to the resources of the deep seabed, examining the mandate of the institutions set up to oversee deep seabed mining and how they have sought to regulate this type of activity. The operationalization of the international regime relating to the exploration and exploitation of the deep seabed has taken place over several decades, but the task has recently become more pressing, as commercial exploitation of deep seabed minerals is now expected in the near future. With this in mind, the chapter analyses how states have balanced various factors in designing the rules applicable to seabed mining, including the balance between economic exploitation on the one hand and protection of the rare and fragile ecosystems of the deep sea on the other hand. It will also consider what challenges remain for the international community in designing and implementing this regulatory regime.