Sea-Level Rise and the Stability of Maritime Boundaries: Rethinking UNCLOS in a Changing Climate
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22921750Mots-clés :
International Law Commission, Law of the Sea, Ambulatory Baselines, Maritime Boundaries, UNCLOS, Sea-Level RiseRésumé
This article addresses a critical contemporary challenge in the international law of the sea: the legal disruption caused by sea-level rise to established maritime baselines and outer zone limits. The central research question examines how the regulatory architecture of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) can maintain the stability and predictability of maritime boundaries when the physical coastlines from which they are measured are permanently receding. Employing a doctrinal and jurisprudential methodology, this article evaluates the traditional "ambulatory baseline" theory against emerging state practice, regional declarations, and the ongoing work of the International Law Commission (ILC) study group on sea-level rise. The principal argument posits that a strict, literal interpretation of UNCLOS requiring baselines to move landward as sea levels rise is structurally destabilizing, threatening international peace, economic security, and the sovereign rights of coastal and small island states. The principal contribution of this article is the development of a coherent legal framework supporting the "freezing" or fixing of existing maritime zones. It demonstrates how dynamic treaty interpretation under Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), combined with regional state practice, can consolidate a customary rule of boundary permanence, ensuring legal stability without necessitating a formal amendment to UNCLOS.
Téléchargements
Références
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) 1833 UNTS 3.UN Treaty Collection – UNCLOS
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969) 1155 UNTS 331.UN Treaty Collection – Vienna Convention
International Law Commission, Sea-Level Rise in Relation to International Law: Final Report of the Study Group (2025), in Report of the International Law Commission on the Work of its Seventy-Sixth Session, UN Doc A/80/10.International Law Commission – Sea-Level Rise Materials
International Law Commission, Sea-Level Rise in Relation to International Law: First Issues Paper (2020), UN Doc A/CN.4/740.
International Law Commission, Sea-Level Rise in Relation to International Law: Second Issues Paper (2022), UN Doc A/CN.4/752.
International Law Commission, Sea-Level Rise in Relation to International Law: Final Consolidated Report of the Study Group (2025), UN Doc A/CN.4/783.ILC Seventy-Sixth Session Documents
Pacific Islands Forum, Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the Face of Climate Change-related Sea-Level Rise(2021).Pacific Islands Forum Declaration
Pacific Islands Forum, 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent (2022).2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent
International Law Association, Sydney Declaration on Sea Level Rise and International Law (2018).
Anggadi F, Sea-Level Rise and the Legal Stability of Maritime Zones (Oxford University Press 2026).Oxford Academic – Sea-Level Rise and the Legal Stability of Maritime Zones
Churchill R, Lowe V and Sander A, The Law of the Sea (4th edn, Manchester University Press 2026).Cambridge/Manchester University Press – The Law of the Sea
Tanaka Y, The International Law of the Sea (4th edn, Cambridge University Press 2023).Cambridge University Press – The International Law of the Sea
Oral N and Aurescu B, ‘Sea Level Rise and Maritime Boundaries: The Case for Stability, Legal Certainty, and Peaceful Relations’ in By Peaceful Means: International Adjudication and Arbitration – Essays in Honour of David D Caron(Oxford University Press 2024) 437.Oxford Academic – Sea Level Rise and Maritime Boundaries
Vidas D and Freestone D, ‘Legal Certainty and Stability in the Face of Sea Level Rise: Trends in the Development of State Practice and International Law Scholarship on Maritime Limits and Boundaries’ (2022) 37 International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law 673.Article information – Vidas and Freestone
‘UNCLOS and Sea Level Rise’ (2023) Marine Policy.ScienceDirect – UNCLOS and Sea Level Rise
‘Mitigating Effects of Sea-Level Rise on Maritime Features through the International Law-Making Process in the Law of the Sea’ (2022) Frontiers in Marine Science.Frontiers in Marine Science – Sea-Level Rise and International Law
Lilienthal GI, Rahim F and Azreem S, ‘Sea Level Rise and the Law of the Sea: Adapting Maritime Boundaries and Rights’ (2025) 8(2) AR-RĀ’IQ 91.AR-RĀ’IQ – Article
Téléchargements
Publiée
Numéro
Rubrique
Licence
Merci de créditer les auteurs lors de toute citation : Oxford Law Review (2026)
Ce travail est disponible sous la licence Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International .
Content published by Oxford Law Review is made available subject to the copyright and licensing terms applicable to the individual article.
Unless otherwise stated on the article page, the following terms apply:
1. Copyright
Copyright in published articles remains subject to the rights and terms specified for the respective publication. Authors and users should respect all applicable copyright and intellectual property laws.
2. Use of Published Material
Published articles may be accessed, read, cited and referenced for legitimate scholarly, educational and research purposes, subject to applicable copyright and licensing restrictions.
3. Reproduction
Reproduction, redistribution, adaptation or commercial use of published material is permitted only where expressly authorised by the applicable licence or by the relevant copyright holder.
4. Citation and Attribution
Any permitted use of material published by Oxford Law Review must provide appropriate bibliographic attribution, including the author, article title, Journal name and publication details, and a persistent link to the original article where available.
5. Third-Party Material
Material belonging to third parties, including photographs, illustrations, tables, datasets or other copyrighted content, may be subject to separate copyright or licensing conditions. Users are responsible for obtaining any permission required for such use.
6. Author Rights
Authors retain such rights as are provided under the applicable publication and licensing agreement. The specific rights applicable to each article are indicated with the published work where appropriate.
7. Changes to Licensing Terms
Oxford Law Review may update its licensing terms from time to time. The terms applicable to a published article will be those stated with or otherwise governing that article.
For the licensing status of a particular article, please refer to the licence information displayed on its publication page.
Comment citer
