Publications
A blueprint for integrating scientific approaches and international communities to assess basin-wide ocean ecosystem status
“Ocean ecosystems are at the forefront of the climate and biodiversity crises, yet we lack a unified approach to assess their state and inform sustainable policies. This blueprint is designed around research capabilities and cross-sectoral partnerships. We highlight priorities including integrating basin-scale observation, modelling and genomic approaches to understand Atlantic oceanography and ecosystem connectivity; improving […]
Ocean defenders and human rights
“Two pressing and overlapping marine policy issues are related to human rights in the ocean and the situation of ocean defenders. Human rights issues and violations are on the rise in the ocean due to the ongoing, rapid and unchecked escalation of anthropogenic activities in marine and coastal environments, which increasingly undermine the fundamental, civil […]
Strengthening Intergenerational Equity at the Ocean-Climate Nexus: Reflections on the UNCRC General Comment No.26
“The 2021 Glasgow Climate Pact brought the ocean into the international climate regime, and the 2022 Sharm el-Sheikh COP27 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has finally ushered the world into a special fund to respond to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including on the human […]
The ocean, sustainable development and human rights
“Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions’ was the theme of the second United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 27 June to 1 July 2022. 1 The resulting political declaration contains a commitment to transformative change with […]
Strengthening Intergenerational Equity at the Ocean-Climate Nexus: Reflections on the UNCRC General Comment No.26
“The 2021 Glasgow Climate Pact brought the ocean into the international climate regime, and the 2022 Sharm el-Sheikh COP27 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has finally ushered the world into a special fund to respond to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including on the human […]
The implications of seabed mining in the Area for the human right to health
“As the prospect of seabed mining in the Area looms closer, much of the debate to date has focused on the prospects of economic gain versus environmental harm. This article contends that potential human health implications must also be considered, including threats to food safety and security and acceleration of global climate change. Through analysis […]
Public participation at the International Seabed Authority: An international human rights law analysis
“In light of the interlinkages between marine biodiversity and the protection of human rights, this article explores the relevance of international human rights law to the decision-making processes at the International Seabed Authority (ISA). It illuminates the relevance of the ISA decisions for the protection of everyone’s right to a healthy environment, as well as […]
International legal requirements for environmental and socio-cultural assessments for large-scale industrial fisheries
“Although Ghana has ratified several relevant treaties related to the ocean, and the country recognises local communities’ customary laws as an important source of law, there is limited research on the integration of customary laws and practices into marine small-scale fisheries governance. This article addresses this gap by analysing customary law systems and practices of […]
Integrating communities’ customary laws into marine small-scale fisheries governance in Ghana: Reflections on the FAO Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries
“Although Ghana has ratified several relevant treaties related to the ocean, and the country recognises local communities’ customary laws as an important source of law, there is limited research on the integration of customary laws and practices into marine small-scale fisheries governance. This article addresses this gap by analysing customary law systems and practices of […]
