United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Royal Arctic Expedition On The Icebreaker 'Oden'

The Arctic – a cohesive region located north of the Arctic Circle – falls under the separate jurisdiction of eight countries with a population of about 4.2 million people and an annual economy of about US$230 billion. Interestingly, the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Arctic draws a nice comparison to “emerging markets”… Keep reading →

Greenland:  A Laboratory For The Symptoms Of Global Warming

Once again, all eyes will turn to the Arctic this week as Canada sets to file its UN claim over an extended continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean. As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 2003, in order to obtain exclusive rights over the upcoming claim to… Keep reading →

Exxon Valdez Oil Disaster 15 Years Later

The closing of the American West just over a century ago was thought to be the end of a long chapter of human exploration that was as inspiring and enriching as it often was destructive and painful. New evidence that the far northern reaches of the globe are becoming increasingly passable and habitable means that… Keep reading →

International Ice Patrol Searches Atlantic For Icebergs

The US is the only country with an Arctic coastline that has not yet ratified the Law of the Sea Treaty, which could put it at a disadvantage in laying claim to what could be substantial resources on its outer continental shelf. The Law of the Sea Treaty – or more formally, the United Nations… Keep reading →