Climate Change and the Law of the Sea Convention

Sammanfattning: This thesis analyzes climate change from an international law perspective and seeks to demonstrate how the provisions pertaining to the protection and preservation of the marine environment embodied in the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (“UNCLOS”), coupled with those relating to the compulsory settlement of disputes, can be of use in tackling the climate crisis. We begin by presenting the science of climate change, in particular its causes, effects and the projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concerning carbon dioxide emissions, global warming and sea level rise. We continue with an analysis of the rules relevant to the interpretation and application of UNCLOS to climate change, with special attention given to the definition of pollution of the marine environment and how said definition relates to climate change. Finally, our research concludes with a study of the obligations said Convention imposes to avert anthropogenic interference with the climate system and what can be done to enforce them.