Report on NCLOS Conference: “The limits and possibilities of sovereignty, as both the organizing logic and the central legal principle underpinning Law of the Sea and Ocean Governance (LOSOG)”, Tromsø, 25 and 25 November 2021

The law of the sea is facing fundamental challenges, including material challenges, epistemic challenges, and challenges relating to ocean justice and geopolitical dynamics. To address these challenges, NCLOS has been engaged with several projects, one of which focusses on problematizing the logic of sovereignty and investigating how sovereignty could be redefined, adapted, and rethought to respond to such systemic challenges.4 As such, sovereignty is one of the NCLOS’s common research themes for 2021-22. The Centre organized a two-day conference (Aurora Conference), from 25-26 November 2021, with the purpose of facilitating a discussion on the research done/in progress, and to identify issues and questions for further research. The conference consisted of three sessions. Session 1 focused on the theme: “Problematizing sovereignty (in a LOSOG context) – evolution and critique”. Session 2 dealt with the topic “Sovereignty challenged and under transformation”. Session 3 examined the theme of “Sovereignty across spaces”. All the sessions followed the same two-layered format: first the speakers presented their research relating to their respective session-specific themes, and second, the presentations were followed by questions and answers, as well as an inclusive round-table discussion.5 This report captures, as much as possible, the main points raised in the presentations and during the discussions. It also highlights some general concluding remarks reflecting the common threads connecting the three sessions and offers suggestions (provided by the participants) for the way forward

Anthropocentric Ocean Connectivity: A Pluralistic Legal-Regulatory Model

This article proposes a model of anthropocentric ocean connectivity based on the concept of human perspective as location. Within this location, anthropocentrism can be, but is not necessarily, an exclusive or dominant valuation of the human. In fact, conceptions of both anthropocentrism and of ocean connectivity are pluralistic. These and other pluralisms are borne out in this article’s content and structure, which takes the form of explorations of anthropocentric connectivity in relation to four specific ocean-related human activities. First, Jan Solski applies understandings of connectivity as “flow” in the context of strategic ocean geopolitics. Second, Iva Parlov analyzes current doctrinal issues and interactions at the international level with respect to the legal regime for places of refuge for ships in need of assistance. Third, Maria Madalena das Neves examines ocean connectivity in the context of transboundary energy trade and market integration, with particular attention to geopolitical and ecological connectivity. Finally, Julia Gaunce proposes that the making and application of transnational rules and standards for ships in polar waters enhances certain connections and disrupts others, to the detriment of oceans and people, and that broadening connectivity especially in respect of Arctic Indigenous people(s) could help address challenges faced by oceans and ocean governance

The NCLOS Blog: Conclusions of the Aurora Conference: “The limits and possibilities of sovereignty, as both the organizing logic and the central legal principle underpinning Law of the Sea and Ocean Governance (LOSOG)”

Matter commented on: The Aurora Conference, 25-26 November 2021, Tromsø, Norway.This blog post summarizes the main findings of the Conference. The post is structured following the order of the three sessions of the Conference. Finally, the post offers overall concluding remark