When Professor Harry Scheiber asked me to address the subject of “institutional arrangements for the ocean,” it struck me that this matter keeps coming back. This does not mean that it is irrelevant or meaningless to continue to address it. Quite the contrary. Firstly, defending the role of international institutions has become more important as we see political ambitions to dismantle them or to undermine their work. Secondly, the more time that passes since the adoption and subsequent entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the more relevant the role and interaction of institutional arrangements for the ocean becomes. This is due to the multitude of arrangements established to address ocean-related matters. This development is not likely to languish.
Institutional Arrangements for the Ocean: From Zero to Indefinite?
