The Law of the sea and New Technologies

• Main Author: Pancracio, Jean-Paul
• Other Authors: Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers (UP), Patrick Chaumette, European Project: 340770,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-ADG,HUMAN SEA(2014)
• Format: Book Part
• Language: French
• Published: HAL CCSD 2016
• Subjects: Law; Law of the sea; New Technologies; droit; droit de la mer; nouvelles technologies; [SHS.DROIT]Humanities and Social Sciences/Law; [SHS.ENVIR]Humanities and Social Sciences/Environmental studies; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Arctique*; Law of the Sea
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-01525229; https://hal.science/hal-01525229/document; https://hal.science/hal-01525229/file/Cap.%20X.pdf

International audience This ancient theme facing new challenges questions the possible inadequacies and necessary adjustments. Four new technologies are considered, including environmental and human risks: the trend towards deep oil and gas drilling, including the Arctic Ocean funds; the issue of mining of the seabed; the prospect of underwater production of electricity from a nuclear source; the activity of submarine attack and underwater drones. The use of certain forms of artificial islands must also be considered: such offshore installations must be «mounted, installed and removed.» Could tiny uninhabited islands in an archipelago be qualified as artificial islands?. In current international law of the sea, what rules and principles preclude a more appropriate regulation? This deals with the full autonomy of the coastal State to grant licenses for activities on its continental shelf; the too general and too narrowly economic conception of the sovereign rights of the coastal State; a high sea, international space largely devoid of governance. What would be thus the scope of the development of the law of the sea? Without modification of UNCLOS, it is possible to develop marine protected areas, to request States to be inspired by the standards as identified by the ISA (International Seabed Authority) and mining codes for mining continental shelves. If a profound amendment to UNCLOS is possible, extension and adaptation of the concept of common heritage of mankind should be considered, as well as a further institutionalisation of ocean governance. Ce thème ancien interroge les éventuelles insuffisances et adaptations nécessaires devant les nouveaux enjeux. Quatre technologies nouvelles sont envisagée porteuses de risques environnementaux et humains : la tendance vers des forages pétroliers et gaziers profonds, notamment sur les fonds de l’Océan Arctique, la question de l’exploitation minière des fonds marins, la perspective d’une production sous-marine d’électricité à partir d’une source nucléaire, ...