Renewable energy on the high seas-regularoy and governance challenges

VIOLETA RADOVICH.

Bonn

Conferencia; 13th International Conference for Prospective Leaders in Climate Change Protection and climate-related Resource Conservation; 2022

Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation

Specific objectives:1) Study the environmental regulation and governance of renewable energy platforms on the High Seas. 2) Analyse similarities with and synergies from the regime of deep seabed mining in the Area.3) Provide recommendations for improvement of regulation.Research methodology:Legal analysis will be carried out based on the method “normative integration”, described in the following phrase of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC): “Conscious that the problems of ocean space are closely interrelated and need to be considered as a whole". Therefore, different law areas regulations, such as from the law of the sea, environmental law, maritime law and energy law will be analysed. The project is interdisciplinary, it will benefit from “disciplinary integration”, such as oceanography and biology, since the Cluster of Excellence “Future Ocean” is based in the city. In order to comply with objective 1), a literary review of LOSC, the draft text of the Treaty aiming at the protection of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) to LOSC, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), marine spatial planning (MSP) provisions and all the relevant applicable international law will be carried out. Moreover, interdisciplinary scientific papers will be analysed. Interdisciplinary research with the Future Ocean cluster will be carried out, by interviews and by participating in on-board expeditions.In relation to comply with objective 2), an analysis of LOSC, regulations of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), court orders and advisory opinions of international tribunals, such as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), and relevant literature will be carried out.The expected results are to help to develop a reliable legal framework for regulation of the issue, so as to contribute to reduce emissions, but at the same time conserve marine biodiversity. Results will be published in renowned Journals, such as Marine Policy and Energy Policy. The project intends to be relevant to policy makers and the industry.