Our Oceans: Opportunities and Challenges
Under the theme “Our Oceans: Opportunities and Challenges”, the
United Nations marked World Oceans Day 2010 with a message by the Secretary-General and a roundtable discussion on “UNCLOS 15 years after its entry into force”, sponsored by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs. The roundtable discussion featured two panels, both moderated by Prof. David Freestone, Lobingier Visiting Professor of Comparative Law and Jurisprudence, George Washington University.
The panel discussion was followed by a screening of the Disneynature feature “Oceans”, co-sponsored by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, and the Permanent Mission of Monaco to the United Nations in the General Assembly Hall.
How effectively is UNCLOS operating, as the legal framework for the oceans and seas?
The first panel asked “How effectively is UNCLOS operating, as the legal framework for the oceans and seas?” and featured contributions by Prof. Bernard H. Oxman, Richard A. Hausler Professor of Law,
University of Miami on “The right of States to establish Maritime Zones under UNCLOS”; Prof. Robert Beckman, Director, Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore, on “Combating piracy, in particular the case of piracy off the coast of Somalia”; and Ms. Emma Romano Sarne, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations, on “The conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, including Marine Genetic Resources.”
UNCLOS into the 21st century
The second panel looked at “UNCLOS into the 21st century”, with contributions by Professor Ted L. McDorman, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, on “How to enhance the implementation of UNCLOS at the national level; and Prof. Lucia Fanning, Director of Marine Affairs Programme, Dalhousie University, on “Is regional cooperation a way to enhance ocean governance?”