International Relations and Defence Committee
UNCLOS: the law of the sea in the 21st century
2nd Report of Session 2021-22 - published 1 March 2022 - HL Paper 159
Contents
Box 1: Timeline of the development of UNCLOS
Figure 1: Schematic showing how relevant international organisations and treaties relate to UNCLOS
Box 2: The International Maritime Organization
Figure 2: The main maritime zones defined by UNCLOS
Table 1: Flag states by gross tonnage as of end of year 2020 (top ten, UK and US)
Updating, supplementing or amending UNCLOS
Does UNCLOS help or hinder maritime security?
Examples of maritime security challenges
Piracy and armed robbery at sea
Law enforcement of maritime zones
China’s actions in the South China Sea
Security threats stemming from climate change
Chapter 4: Climate change and the environment
Baselines and maritime entitlements
Displaced persons and climate change-related refugees
Impact of climate change on the marine environment
Chapter 5: Human rights and labour protections at sea
The application of international human rights law at sea
Specific challenges in the 21st century
Forced labour and excessive work conditions
Physical and sexual crimes at sea
Chapter 6: Maritime autonomous vehicles
The Royal Navy’s legal approach
Chapter 7: Regulation of access to economic resources
Rights within the exclusive economic zone
Overlapping claims to sovereignty and jurisdiction
Areas beyond national jurisdiction
Non-living resources on the deep seabed
Living resources on the deep seabed
Challenges facing fisheries management
Priorities for the United Kingdom
Summary of conclusions and recommendations
Appendix 1: List of Members and declarations of interest
Evidence is published online at https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1557/unclos-fit-for-purpose-in-the-21st-century/ and available for inspection at the Parliamentary Archives (020 7219 3074).
Q in footnotes refers to a question in oral evidence.