Equity Perspectives on Global Ocean Law and Governance (2022)

Conference: Equity Perspectives on Global Ocean Law and Governance

The concepts of intragenerational equity (i.e., equitable burden-sharing between States) and intergenerational equity (i.e., equitable burden-sharing between different generations) feature prominently in discussions on climate change (including sea level rise), pollution, extinction, and planetary habitability. This conference, motivated by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), aims to trace the extent to which these concepts have been – or could be – incorporated into global ocean law and governance. Oceans and their natural resources are exhaustible, and do not allow limitless use by States or current generations in light of the needs of future generations. On the one hand, their use is already not placed entirely at the discretion of individual States, but constrained and steered through international law. On the other hand, oceans and their natural resources cannot only be seen as a source of ecosystem services for humankind. Attempting to take the oceans’ own perspective on equity, the concept of (legal) personhood for oceans shifts discussions away from a human-centered view.

This conference inter alia covers the topics of (re-)evaluating

• the use of equity-concepts in different disciplines,
• the utility of the common heritage of humankind-principle,
• the potential for equitable burden-sharing regarding plastics pollution,
• questions of equity in fisheries conservation and management,
• (legal) personhood as a way forward in ocean law and governance.

Date: Wednesday, 7 September 2022

Venue: Warburg-Haus, Hamburg

Programme: Download Programme

Registration: register here

Contact:

Dr. Miriam Köster (Universität Greifswald)

Dr. Katherine Sammler (HIFMB Oldenburg)

Dr. Valentin Schatz (Universität Hamburg)