AC/UNU Millennium Project


Environmental Security: United Nations Doctrine for Managing Environmental Issues in Military Actions

Selected International Treaties, Conventions and Protocols that address environment related issues
Selected International Organizations relevant to Environmental Security


This volume was created to support the Environmental Security: United Nations Doctrine for Managing Environmental Issues in Military Actions study by the Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University. The full study is also included in the State of the Future reports published after 2000.

The environmental security is environmental viability for life support. This concept includes environmental damage caused by military forces directly, as well as non-military sources that could lead to conflict.

NATO has released in 1999 a report entitled Environment & Security in an International Context that stressed the key role of international agreements in the prevention of conflicts due to environmental stress.

Taking preventive action on environmental stress thus is the most appropriate approach to preventing environmental conflicts. Such preventive action is needed at all levels, but given that environmental stresses tend to be rooted in transboundary, regional and global environmental problems, international and regional environmental agreements play a particularly important role in preventing environmental conflict[emphasis added].  (NATO. Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society. 1999. Environment & Security in an International Context. Report 232, Brussels, Belgium.)


There is no comprehensive agreement to address environmental security. Since it is such a broad concept, it may not be possible nor desirable to create such a comprehensive treaty. There are, however, a broad range of conventions and protocols that address environmental security threats.

To document the status of international agreements that address environmental security, a list of threats were drawn from the previous Millennium Project  Environmental Security: Emerging International Definitions, Perceptions, and Policy Considerations and matched with the appropriate international treaties, conventions, and/or protocols.



In this page:

Treaties, Conventions, and Protocols that address environment related issues

Sample of Environmental Security Threats

Selected International Organizations relevant to Environmental Security


Treaties, Conventions, and Protocols that address environment related issues:

  1. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions or 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol 1)
  2. Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
  3. Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (biological) and Toxin Weapons, and on their Destruction
  4. Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction
  5. Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency
  6. Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident
  7. Convention on Nuclear Safety
  8. Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water
  9. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
  10. Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
  11. Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
  12. Convention on Biological Diversity
  13. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
  14. Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
  15. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
  16. Convention on the High Seas
  17. Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources of the High Seas
  18. Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
  19. Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat
  20. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil
  21. International Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
  22. International Tropical Timber Agreement
  23. International Tropical Timber Agreement
  24. Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
  25. Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes
  26. The Antarctic Treaty
  27. Convention on Civil Liability for Damage Resulting from Activities Dangerous to the Environment
  28. International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation
  29. Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents
  30. Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-Based Sources
  31. Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer
  32. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
  33. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
  34. Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Connection on Climate Change

Sample of Environmental Security Threats

  1. Ozone layer depletion
  2. Global climate change due to greenhouse gas emission (rising sea level, changing rain distribution)
  3. Radioactive waste management; nuclear waste storage tanks leakage
  4. Radioactive spills from leaking nuclear submarines
  5. Nuclear bomb tests
  6. Accidents in nuclear plants; low radiation from accidents occurring in old nuclear power-plants
  7. Environmental impact of war such as the impact of bombing, and use of landmines and chemical and/or biological weapons
  8. Environmental modification during war
  9. Spills from stockpiles of "old weapons"
  10. Oil spill and pollution
  11. Natural disasters: earthquakes, floods, storms, volcanic activities, tornado and hurricanes
  12. Food security (ex. Famines in Somalia and potentially North Korea may induce migration, disease and war)
  13. Water scarcity and pollution including ground water contamination
  14. Increasing international river usage
  15. Soil erosion
  16. Salinization
  17. Deforestation
  18. Desertification
  19. Human migration as cause of environmental security such as settlement onto hazardous environments (river basin, coastal flood plains, and earthquake-prone zones) and onto ecologically sensitive zones (certain forest, desert, wetland and marine environments)
  20. Human migration as effect of environmental stress
  21. Human population growth
  22. Loss of biodiversity
  23. Industrial development; Industrial contamination of air and oceans
  24. Fishery depletion due to over-fishing
  25. Forest fires like those in Indonesia, Australia, Amazonian and Mediterranean countries
  26. Transplantation of alien species into new ecosystems
  27. New, re-emergent and drug-resistant diseases
  28. Disposal of hazardous/toxic wastes
  29. Poverty; growing gap between rich and poor
  30. Increasing intensive use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and detergents
  31. Destruction of coral reefs
  32. Artificial genetic pollution
Some of these threats are anticipated by existing treaties, conventions, and protocols.


Treaties, Conventions, and Protocols that address environment related issues
Treaty, Convention, Protocol
Current Status
mm/dd/yy
Threats to which it applies
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions or 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol 1) (1977) In Force: 07.12.1978 Threats:7, 8
  • Preamble: Recalling that every State has the duty, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, to refrain in its international relations from the threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purpose of the United Nations, Believing in necessary nevertheless to reaffirm and develop the provisions protecting the victims of armed conflicts and to supplement measures intended to reinforce their application, Reaffirming further that the previsions of the Geneva conventions of 12 August and of this Protocol must be fully applied in all circumstances to all persons who are protected by those instruments, without any adverse distinction based on the nature or origin of the armed conflict or on the causes espoused by or attributed to the Parties to the conflict,
  • PARTI. GENERAL PROVISIONS; Article 1- General Principles and scope of application, 1. The High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for this Protocol in all circumstances, 2. In cases not covered by this Protocol or by other international agreements, civilians and combatant remain under the protection and authority of the principles of international law derived from established custom, from the principles of humanity and from dictates of public conscience, 3. This Protocol, which supplements the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 under the protection of war victims, shall apply in the situations referred to in Article 2 common to those Conventions… Article 2- Definitions; …(b) "Rules of international law applicable in armed conflict" means the rules applicable in armed conflict set forth in international agreements to which the Parties to the conflict are Parties and the generally recognized principles and rules of international law which are applicable to armed conflict; (c) "Protecting Power" means a neutral or other State not a Party to the conflict which has been designed by a Party to the conflict and accepted by the adverse Party and has agreed to carry out the functions assigned to a Protecting Power under the Conventions and this Protocol…
Chapter II: CIVILIAN OBJECTS
  • Article 52- General Protection of civilian objects: 1. Civilian objects shall not be the object of attack of reprisals. Civilian objects are all objects which are not military objectives are defined in paragraph 2
  • Article 54- Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population; 1. Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare if prohibited, 2. It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as food-stuffs, agricultural areas for the production of food-stuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works, for the specific purpose or to the adverse Party, whatever the motive, whether in order to starve out civilians, to cause them to move away, or for any other motive. 
  • Article 55 –Protection of the natural environment : 1. "Care shall be taken in warfare to protect the natural environment against widespread, long-term and severe damage. This protection includes a prohibition of the use of methods of means of warfare which are intended or may be expected to cause such damage to the natural environment and thereby to prejudice the health or survival of the population. " 2. "Attacks against the natural environment by way of reprisals are prohibited." 
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques (1976) In Force: 10.05.1978 Threats:8, 20
  • Article 1: "Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to engage in military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects as the means of destruction, damage or injury to any other State Party;
  • Article II: As used in article 1, the term "environmental modification techniques" refers to any technique for changing-through the deliberate manipulation of natural processes-the dynamics, composition or structure of the Earth including its biota, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, or of outer space.
  • Article III, 2: The States Parties to this Convention…undertakes to facilitate the exchange of scientific and technological information…State Parties in a position to do so shall contribute, alone or together with other States or international organizations, to international economic and scientific co-operation in preservation, improvement and peaceful utilization of the environment, with due consideration for the needs of the developing areas of the world.
  • Article IV: …undertakes to take any measures it considers necessary in accordance with its constitutional process to prohibit and prevent any activity in violation of the provisions of the Convention anywhere under its jurisdiction or control
  • Article V, 3: "Any State Party to this Convention which has reason to believe that another State Party is acting in breach of obligations derived from the provisions of the Convention may lodge a complaint with the Security Council of the United Nations. Such a complaint should include all relevant information as well as all possible evidence supporting its validity.
  • Article V, 4-5: Each State Party…undertakes to cooperate in carrying out any investigation which the Security Council may initiate, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the U.N., on the basis of the complaint received by the Council. 
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (biological) and Toxin Weapons, and on their Destruction (1972) In Force: 03.26.1975 Threats:7, 9, 20
  • Recalling that the General Assembly of the United Nations has repeatedly condemned all actions contrary to the principles and objectives of the Geneva Protocol of 17 June 1925,
  • Article I: Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never in any circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain: 1) microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purpose; 2) Weapons, equipment or means of delivery designed to use such agents or toxins for hostile purpose or in armed conflict. 
  • Article II: Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to destroy or to divert to peaceful purposes, as soon as possible but not later than nine months after the entry into force of the Convention all agents, toxins, weapons, equipment and means of delivery specified in Article I of the Convention. 
  • Article III: Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever…and not in any way to assist, encourage, or induce any State, group of States or international organizations to manufactures or otherwise acquire any of the agents, toxins, weapons, equipment or means of delivery specified in Article I of the Convention. 
  • Article IV: Each State Party to this Convention shall…take any necessary measures to prohibit and prevent development production, stockpiling, acquisition or retention of the agents, toxins, weapons, equipment and means of delivery specified in Article I of the Convention, within the territory of such State, under is jurisdiction or under its control anywhere. 
  • Article V: The States Parties to the Convention undertake to consult one another and to co-operate in solving the problems which may arise in relation to the objective of, or in the application of the provisions of, the Convention…
  • Article VI: 1) Any State Party…which finds that any other State Party is acting in breach of obligations deriving from the provisions of the Convention may lodge a complaint with the Security Council of the United Nations…. 2) Each State Party…undertakes to co-operate in carrying out any investigation which the Security Council may initiate. 
  • Article VII: Each State Party…undertakes to provide or support assistance, in accordance with the United Nations Charter, to any Party to the Convention which so requests, if the Security Council decides that such Party has been exposed to danger as a result of violation of this Convention. 
  • Article VIII: Nothing in this Convention shall be interpreted as in any way limiting or detracting from the obligations assumed by any State under the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925. 
  • Article IX: Each State Party…affirms the recognized objective of effective prohibition of chemical weapons and, to this end, undertakes to continue negotiations in good faith with a view to reaching early agreement on effective measures for the prohibition of their development, production and stockpiling and for their destruction, and on appropriate measures concerning equipment and means of delivery specifically designed for the production or use of chemical agents for weapons purposes. 
  • Article XIII: 1) This Convention shall be of unlimited duration. 2) Each State Party…shall in exercising its national sovereignty have the right to withdraw from the Convention if it decides that extraordinary events…have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country. 
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (1993) In Force: 04.27.1997 Threats: 7, 9, 20
  • Recognizing that this Convention reaffirms principles and objectives of and obligations assumed under the Geneva Protocol of 1925, and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction signed at London, Moscow and Washington on 10 April 1972,
  • Article 1: 1) Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never under any circumstances: a) To develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical weapons, or transfer, directly or indirectly, chemical weapons to anyone; b) To use chemical weapons; c) To engage in any military preparations to use chemical weapons; d) To assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention. 2) Each State Party undertakes to destroy chemical weapons it owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention. 3) Each State Party undertakes to destroy all chemical weapons it abandoned on the territory of another State Party, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention. 4) Each State Party undertakes to destroy any chemical weapons production facilities it owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention. 5) Each State Party undertakes not to use riot control agents as a method of warfare.
  • Article III: a) With respect to chemical weapons: i) Declare whether it owns or possesses any chemical weapons, or whether there are any chemical weapons located in any place under its jurisdiction or control; ii) Specify the precise location, aggregate quantity and detailed inventory of chemical weapons it owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with Part IV (A), paragraphs 1 to 3, of the Verification Annex, except for those chemical weapons referred to in sub-subparagraph (iii); iii) Report any chemical weapons on its territory that are owned and possessed by another State and located in any place under the jurisdiction or control of another State, in accordance with Part IV (A), paragraph 4, of the Verification Annex; iv) Declare whether it has transferred or received, directly or indirectly, any chemical weapons since 1 January 1946 and specify the transfer or receipt of such weapons, in accordance with Part IV (A), paragraph 5, of the Verification Annex; v) Provide its general plan for destruction of chemical weapons that it owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with Part IV A), paragraph 6, of the Verification Annex; b) With respect to old chemical weapons and abandoned chemical weapons: i) Declare whether it has on its territory old chemical weapons and provide all available information in accordance with Part IV (B), paragraph 3, of the Verification Annex; ii) Declare whether there are abandoned chemical weapons on its territory and provide all available information in accordance with Part IV B), paragraph 8, of the Verification Annex; iii) Declare whether it has abandoned chemical weapons on the territory of other States and provide all available information in accordance with Part IV (B), paragraph 10, of the Verification Annex; c) With respect to chemical weapons production facilities: i) Declare whether it has or has had any chemical weapons production facility under its ownership or possession, or that is or has been located in any place under its jurisdiction or control at any time since 1 January 1946; ii) Specify any chemical weapons production facility it has or has had under its ownership or possession or that is or has been located in any place under its jurisdiction or control at any time since 1 January 1946, in accordance with Part V, paragraph 1, of the Verification Annex, except for those facilities referred to in sub-paragraph (iii); iii) Report any chemical weapons production facility on its territory that another State has or has had under its ownership and possession and that is or has been located in any place under the jurisdiction or control of another State at any time since 1 January 1946, in accordance with Part V, paragraph 2. of the Verification Annex; iv) Declare whether it has transferred or received, directly or indirectly, any equipment for the production of chemical weapons since 1 January 1946 and specify the transfer or receipt of such equipment, in accordance with Part V. paragraphs 3 to 5, of the Verification Annex; v) Provide its general plan for destruction of any chemical weapons production facility it owns or possesses, or that is located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with Part V, paragraph 6. of the Verification Annex; vi) Specify actions to be taken for closure of any chemical weapons production facility it owns or possesses, or that is located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with Part V, paragraph 1 (i), of the Verification Annex; vii) Provide its general plan for any temporary conversion of any chemical weapons production facility it owns or possesses, or that is located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, into a chemical weapons destruction facility, in accordance with Part V, paragraph 7. of the Verification Annex; d) With respect to other facilities: Specify the precise location, name and general scope of activities of any facility or establishment under its ownership or possession, or located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, and that has been designed, constructed or used since 1 January 1946 primarily for development of chemical weapons. Such declaration shall include, inter alia, laboratories and test and evaluation sites; e) With respect to riot control agents: Specify the chemical name, structural formula and Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number, if assigned, of each chemical it holds for riot control purposes. This declaration shall be updated not later than 30 days after any change becomes effective. 2) The provisions of this Article and the relevant provisions of Part IV of the Verification Annex shall not, at the discretion of a State Party, apply to chemical weapons buried on its territory before 1 January 1977 and which remain buried, or which had been dumped at sea before 1 January 1985.
  • Article IV: 3) All locations at which chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1 are stored or destroyed shall be subject to systematic verification through on-site inspection and monitoring with on-site instruments, in accordance with Part IV (A) of the Verification Annex. 4) Each State Party shall, immediately after the declaration under Article III paragraph 1 (a), has been submitted, provide access to chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1 for the purpose of systematic verification of the declaration through on-site inspection. Thereafter, each State Party shall not remove any of these chemical weapons, except to a chemical weapons destruction facility. It shall provide access to such chemical weapons, for the purpose of systematic on-site verification. 5) Each State Party shall provide access to any chemical weapons destruction facilities and their storage areas, that it owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, for the purpose of systematic verification through on-site inspection and monitoring with on-site instruments. 6) Each State Party shall destroy all chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1 pursuant to the Verification Annex and in accordance with the agreed rate and sequence of destruction (hereinafter referred to as "order of destruction"). Such destruction shall begin not later than two years after this Convention enters into force for it and shall finish not later than 10 years after entry into force of this Convention. A State Party is not precluded from destroying such chemical weapons at a faster rate. 7) Each State Party shall: a) Submit detailed plans for the destruction of chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1 not later than 60 days before each annual destruction period begins, in accordance with Part IV (A), paragraph 29, of the Verification Annex; the detailed plans shall encompass all stocks to be destroyed during the next annual destruction period, b) Submit declarations annually regarding the implementation of its plans for destruction of chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1, not later than 60 days after the end of each annual destruction period, and c) Certify, not later than 30 days after the destruction process has been completed, that all chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1 have been destroyed. 9) Any chemical weapons discovered by a State Party after the initial declaration of chemical weapons shall be reported, secured and destroyed in accordance with Part IV (A) of the Verification Annex. 10) Each State Party, during transportation, sampling, storage and destruction of chemical weapons, shall assign the highest priority to ensuring the safety of people and to protecting the environment. Each State Party shall transport, sample, store and destroy chemical weapons in accordance with its national standards for safety and emissions. 11) Any State Party which has on its territory chemical weapons that are owned or possessed by another State, or that are located in any place under the jurisdiction or control of another State, shall make the fullest efforts to ensure that these chemical weapons are removed from its territory not later than one year after this Convention enters into force for it. If they are not removed within one year, the State Party may request the Organization and other States Parties to provide assistance in the destruction of these chemical weapons
  • Article V: 1) The provisions of this Article and the detailed procedures for its implementation shall apply to any and all chemical weapons production facilities owned or possessed by a State Party, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control. 2) Detailed procedures for the implementation of this Article are set forth in the Verification Annex. 3) All chemical weapons production facilities specified in paragraph 1 shall be subject to systematic verification through on-site inspection and monitoring with on-site instruments in accordance with Part V of the Verification Annex. 4) Each State Party shall cease immediately all activity at chemical. 5) No State Party shall construct any new chemical weapons production facilities or modify any existing facilities for the purpose of chemical weapons production or for any other activity prohibited under this Convention.
  • Article VI: 1. Each State Party has the right, subject to the provisions of this Convention, to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, retain, transfer and use toxic chemicals and their precursors for purposes not prohibited under this Convention. 8) Each State Party shall make annual declarations regarding the relevant chemicals and facilities in accordance with the Verification Annex. 9) For the purpose of on-site verification, each State Party shall grant to the inspectors access to facilities as required in the Verification Annex.
  • Article VIII: 1) The States Parties to this Convention hereby establish the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to achieve the object and purpose of this Convention, to ensure the implementation of its provisions, including those for international verification of compliance with it and to provide a forum for consultation and co-operation among States Parties. …19) The Conference shall be the principal organ of the Organization. It shall consider any questions, matters or issues within the scope of this Convention, including those relating to the powers and functions of the Executive Council and the Technical Secretariat. It may make recommendations and take decisions on any questions, matters or issues related to this Convention raised by a State Party or brought to its attention by the Executive Council.
  • Article IX: …2) A State Party which receives a request from another State Party for clarification of any matter which the requesting State Party believes causes such a doubt or concern shall provide the requesting State Party as soon as possible, but in any case not later than 10 days after the request, with information sufficient to answer the doubt or concern raised along with an explanation of how the information provided resolves the matter. Nothing in this Convention shall affect the right of any two or more States Parties to arrange by mutual consent for inspections or any other procedures among themselves to clarify and resolve any matter which may cause doubt about compliance or gives rise to a concern about a related matter which may be considered ambiguous. Such arrangements shall not affect the fights and obligations of any State Party under other provisions of this Convention. 3) A State Party shall have the right to request the Executive Council to assist in clarifying any situation which may be considered ambiguous or which gives rise to a concern about the possible non-compliance of another State Party with this Convention. The Executive Council shall provide appropriate information in its possession relevant to such a concern. 4) A State Party shall have the right to request the Executive Council to obtain clarification from another State Party on any situation which may bc considered ambiguous or which gives rise to a concern about its possible non-compliance with this Convention …5) A State Party shall also have the right to request the Executive Council to clarify any situation which has been considered ambiguous or has given rise to a concern about its possible non-compliance with this Convention. The Executive Council shall respond by providing such assistance as appropriate. 6) The Executive Council shall inform the States Parties about any request for clarification provided in this Article. 7) If the doubt or concern of a State Party about a possible non-compliance has not been resolved within 60 days after the submission of the request for clarification to the Executive Council, or it believes its doubts warrant urgent consideration, notwithstanding its right to request a challenge inspection, it may request a special session of the Conference in accordance with Article VIII paragraph 12 c). At such a special session, the Conference shall consider the matter and may recommend any measure it deems appropriate to resolve the situation. Procedures for challenge inspections 8) Each State Party has the right to request an on-site challenge inspection of any facility or location in the territory or in any other place under the jurisdiction or control of any other State Party for the sole purpose of clarifying and resolving any questions concerning possible non-compliance with the provisions of this Convention, and to have this inspection conducted anywhere without delay by an inspection team designated by the Director-General and in accordance with the Verification Annex. 9) Each State Party is under the obligation to keep the inspection request within the scope of this Convention and to provide in the inspection request all appropriate information on the basis of which a concern has arisen regarding possible non-compliance with this Convention as specified in the Verification Annex. Each State Party shall refrain from unfounded inspection requests, care being taken to avoid abuse. The challenge inspection shall be carried out for the sole purpose of determining facts relating to the possible non-compliance. 10) For the purpose of verifying compliance with the provisions of this Convention, each State Party shall permit the Technical Secretariat to conduct the on-site challenge inspection pursuant to paragraph 8. 11) Pursuant to a request for a challenge inspection of a facility or location, and in accordance with the procedures provided for in the verification Annex, the inspected State Party shall have: a) The right and the obligation to make every reasonable effort to demonstrate its compliance with this Convention and, to this end, to enable the inspection team to fulfil its mandate; b) The obligation to provide access within the requested site for the sole purpose of establishing facts relevant to the concern regarding possible non-compliance; and c) The right to take measures to protect sensitive installations, and to prevent disclosure of confidential information and data, not related to this Convention. 12) With regard to an observer, the following shall apply: a) The requesting State Party may, subject to the agreement of the inspected State Party, send, a representative who may be a national either of the requesting State Party or of a third State Party, to observe the conduct of the challenge inspection. b) The inspected State Party shall then grant access to the observer in accordance with the Verification Annex. c) The inspected State Party shall, as a rule, accept the proposed observer, but if the inspected State Party exercises a refusal, that fact shall be recorded in the final report, 13) The requesting State Party shall present an inspection request for an on-site challenge inspection to the Executive Council and at the same time to the Director-General for immediate processing.
  • Article X: 2) Nothing in this Convention shall be interpreted as impeding the right of any State Party to conduct research into, develop, produce, acquire, transfer or use means of protection against chemical weapons, for purposes not prohibited under this Convention, 8) Each State Party has the right to request and, subject to the Procedures act forth in paragraphs 9, 10 and 11, to receive assistance and protection against the use or threat of use of chemical weapons if it considers that: a) Chemical weapons have been used against it; b) Riot control agents have been used against it as a method of warfare; or c) It is threatened by actions or activities of any State that are prohibited for States Parties by Article 1.
  • Article XII: 1…In considering action pursuant to this paragraph, the Conference shall take into account all information and recommendations on the issues submitted by the Executive Council. 2) …where the State Party fails to fulfil the request within the specified time, the Conference may, inter alia, upon the recommendation of the Executive Council, restrict or suspend the State Party's rights and privileges under this Convention until it undertakes the necessary action to conform with its obligations under this Convention. 3) In cases where serious damage to the object and purpose of this Convention may result from activities prohibited under this Convention, in particular by Article 1, the Conference may recommend collective measures to States Parties in conformity with international law. 4) The Conference shall, in cases of particular gravity, bring the issue, including relevant information and conclusions, to the attention of the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council.
  • Article XIII: Nothing in this Convention shall be interpreted as in any way limiting or detracting from the obligations assumed by any State under the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925, and under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, signed at London, Moscow and Washington on 10 April 1972.
  • Article XIV: 2) When a dispute arises between two or more States Parties, or between one or more States Parties and the Organization, relating to the interpretation or application of this Convention, the parties concerned shall consult together with a view to the expeditious settlement of the dispute by negotiation or by other peaceful means of the parties' choice, including recourse to appropriate organs of this Convention and, by mutual consent, referral to the International Court of Justice in conformity with the Statute of the Court. The States Parties involved shall keep the Executive Council informed of actions being taken. 3) The Executive Council may contribute to the settlement of a dispute by whatever means it deems appropriate, including offering its good offices, calling upon the States Parties to a dispute to start the settlement process of their choice and recommending a time-limit for any agreed procedure. 5) The Conference and the Executive Council are separately empowered, subject to authorization from the General Assembly of the United Nations, to request the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal question arising within the scope of the activities of the Organization. An agreement between the Organization and the United Nations shall be concluded for this purpose in accordance with Article VIII, paragraph 34 (a).
Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (1986) In Force: 02.26.1987 Threats:3, 6, 4, 5
  • Article 1, 1: "The States Parties shall cooperate between themselves and with the IAEA…to facilitate prompt assistance in the event of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency to minimize its consequences and to protect life, property and the environment from the effects of radioactive releases."
  • Article 2, 1: " If a State Party needs assistance…whether or not such accident or emergency originates within its territory, jurisdiction or control, it may call for such assistance from any other State Party, directly or through the IAEA, and from the IAEA or…international intergovernmental organizations."
  • Article 2, 2: "In the event that it is not practicable for the requesting State Party to specify the scope and the type of assistance required, the requesting [and assisting] State Parties shall, in consultation, decide [these things]."
  • Article 2, 5: "Any State Party may request assistance relating to medical treatment or temporary relocation into the territory of another State Party of people involved in a nuclear accident or radiological emergency."
  • Article 2, 6: The IAEA "shall respond…by (a) making available appropriate resources allocated for this purpose; (b) transmitting promptly the request to other States and international organizations…; ( c) if so requested…coordinating the assistance at the international level.
  • Article 3: "Unless otherwise agreed: (a) the overall direction, control, co-ordination and supervision of the assistance shall be the responsibility within its territory of the requesting State. The assisting party should, where the assistance involves personnel, designate in consultation with the requesting State, the person who should be in charge of and retain immediate operational supervision over the personnel and the equipment provided by it. The designated person should exercise such supervision in cooperation with the appropriate authorities of the requesting State; (b) the requesting State shall provide…local facilities and services for the proper and effective administration of the assistance. It shall also ensure the protection of personnel, equipment and materials brought into its territory by or on behalf of the assisting party for such purpose. 
  • Article 5: Functions of the IAEA: " to: (a) collect and disseminate to States Parties and Member States information concerning: (I) experts, equipment and materials…available…(ii) methodologies, techniques and available results of research relating to response…(b) assist a State Party…when requested in any of the following or other appropriate matters: (I) preparing emergency plans and…appropriate legislation; (ii) develop training programs for personnel; (iii) transmit requests for assistance and relevant information; (iv) develop radiation monitoring programs, procedures and standards; (v) conduct investigations into the feasibility of establishing radiation monitoring systems; 
  • Article 5, (e): "Establish and maintain liaison with relevant international organizations…to obtain and exchange information and data, and make a list of such organizations available to States Parties…"
Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (1986) In Force: 10.27.1986 Threats:3, 4, 6, 19, 20
  • Article 1: Scope of Application 1: …[applies] in the event of any accident involving facilities or activities of a State Party or of persons or legal entities under its jurisdiction or control; 2. (a) any nuclear reactor wherever located; (b) any nuclear fuel cycle facility; (c) any radioactive made management facility; (d) the transport and storage of nuclear fuels or radioactive wastes; (e) the manufacture, use, storage, disposal and transport of radioisotopes for agricultural, industrial, medical and related scientific and research purposes; and (f) the use of radioisotopes for generation in space objects
  • In the event of an accident: the State Party shall forthwith notify, directly or through the International Atomic Energy Agency, those States which are or may be physically affected as specified in article 1 and the Agency of the nuclear accident, its nature, the time of its occurrence and its exact location where appropriate; and to promptly provide the States referred to in sub-paragraph (a) directly or through the IAEA, with such available information relevant to minimizing the radiological consequences in those States
  • The IAEA shall inform State Parties, Member States, other States which are or may be physically affected…and relevant international organizations of a notification…and promptly provide any State Party, Member State or relevant international organization, upon request, with the information received
  • Article 5: Information to be provided: 1. the time, exact location where appropriate, and the nature of the nuclear accident; 2. the facility or activity involved; 3. The assumed or established cause and the foreseeable development of the nuclear accident relevant to the transboundary release of the radioactive materials; 4. the general characteristics of the radioactive release, including…the nature, probably physical and chemical form and the quantity, composition and effective height of the radioactive release; 5. information on current and forecast meteorological and hydrological conditions, necessary for forecasting the transboundary release of the radioactive materials; 6. the results of environmental monitoring relevant to the transboundary release of the radioactive materials; 7. the off-site protective measures taken or planned; 8. the predicted behavior over time of the radioactive release.
  • Article 8: Assistance to State Parties: "the agency shall…upon request of a State Party which does not have nuclear activities itself and borders on a State having an active nuclear program but not Party, conduct investigations into the feasibility and establishment of an appropriate radiation monitoring system…"
  • Article 11: Settlement of disputes: "if a dispute…cannot be settled within one year from the request…it shall…be submitted to arbitration or referred to the International Court of Justice for decision. Where a dispute is submitted to arbitration, if, within six months from the date of the request, the parties …are unable to agree on the organization of the arbitration, a party may request the President of the International Court of Justice or the Secretary-General of the UN to appoint one or more arbitrators." The request of the Secretary-General shall have priority. 
Convention on Nuclear Safety (1994) In Force: 10.24.1996 Threats:3, 4, 20
  • Article 7: 1) Each Contracting Party shall establish and maintain a legislative and regulatory framework to govern the safety of nuclear installations; 2) The legislative and regulatory framework shall provide for: i)…national safety requirements and regulations; ii) a system of licensing…; iii) a system of regulatory inspection and assessment of nuclear installations to ascertain compliance…; iv) the enforcement of applicable regulations and of the terms of license…
  • Article 8: Each contracting party shall establish or designate a regulatory body entrusted with the implementation of the legislative and regulatory framework referred to in Article 7…
  • Article 10: Each contracting party shall take the appropriate steps to ensure all organizations engaged in activities directly related to nuclear installations shall establish policies that give due priority to nuclear safety.
  • Article 14: Each contracting parties shall take the appropriate steps to ensure that: i) …safety assessments are carried out before the construction and commissioning of a nuclear installation and throughout its life…. ii) verification by analysis, surveillance, testing and inspection is carried out to ensure that the physical state and the operation of a nuclear installation continue to be in accordance with its design, applicable national safety requirements, and operational limits and conditions. 
  • Article 19: each contracting party shall take the appropriate steps to ensure that: vi) incidents significant to safety are reported in a timely manner by the holder of the relevant license to the regulatory body;
  • Article 29: In the event of disagreement between two or more contracting parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention, the Contracting Parties shall consult within the framework of a meeting of the Contracting Parties with a view of to resolving the disagreement.
Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water (1963) In Force: 10.10.1963 Threats: 5
  • put an end to the armaments race and eliminate the incentive to the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons (preamble)
  • Article I: undertake to prohibit, to prevent, and not to carry out any nuclear weapon test explosion, or any other nuclear explosion, at any place under its jurisdiction or control; a) in the atmosphere; beyond its limits, including outer space; or underwater, including territorial waters or high seas; b)….without prejudice to the conclusion of a treaty resulting in the permanent banning of all nuclear test explosions, including all such explosions underground…c)…to refrain from causing, encouraging, or in any way participating in, the carrying out of any nuclear weapon test explosion, anywhere….
  • Article IV: each party shall…have the right to withdraw from the Treaty…
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (1996) Not in Force: Adopted on 09.24.1996.  Threats: 5
  • Preamble: Welcoming the international agreements and other positive measures of recent years in the field of nuclear disarmament, including reductions in arsenals of nuclear weapons, as well as in the field of the prevention of nuclear proliferation in all its aspects…Recognizing that the cessation of all nuclear weapon test explosions and all other nuclear explosions, by constraining the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and ending the development of advanced new types of nuclear weapons, constitutes an effective measure of nuclear disarmament and on-proliferation in all its aspects, Further recognizing that an end to all such nuclear explosions will thus constitute a meaningful step in the realization of a systematic process to achieve nuclear disarmament, …
  • Article 1: Basic Obligations, 1. Each State Party undertakes not to carry out any nuclear weapons test explosion or any other nuclear explosion, and to prohibit and prevent any such unclear explosion at any place under its jurisdiction or control; 2. Each State Party undertakes, furthermore, to refrain from causing, encouraging, or in any way participating in the carrying out of any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other unclear explosion. 
  • The Organization: A. General Provisions; 1. The States Parties hereby establish the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization to achieve the object and purpose of this Treaty, to ensure the implementation of its provisions, including those for compliance with it, and to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among State Parties…4. Each State Party shall cooperate with the Organization in the exercise of its functions in accordance with this Treaty. States Parties shall consult, directly among themselves, or through the Organization or other appropriate international procedures, including procedures within the framework of the United Nations and in accordance with its Charter, on any matter which may be raised relating to the object and purpose, or the implementation of the provisions, or this Treaty…8. The Organization, as an independent body, shall seek to utilize existing expertise and facilities, as appropriate, and to maximize cost efficiencies, through cooperative arrangements with other international organizations such as the International Atomic Agency. Such arrangements, excluding those of a minor and normal commercial and contractual nature, shall be set out in arrangements to be submitted to the Conference of the State Parties for approval…
  • C. The Executive Council; Composition, Procedures and Decision-making 27. The executive council shall consist of 51 members. Each State Party shall have the right, in accordance with provisions of the Article, to serve on the Executive Council; 28. Taking into account the need for equitable geographical distribution, the Executive Council shall comprise: (a) Ten States Parties from Africa; (b) Seven States Parties from Eastern Europe; (c) Nine States Parties from Latin America and the Caribbean; (d) Seven States Parties from the Middle East and South Asia; (e) Ten States Parties from North America and Western Europe; and (f) Eight States Parties from South-East Asia, the Pacific and the Far-East. Power and Functions 37. The Executive Council shall be the executive organ of the Organization. It shall be responsible to the Conference. It shall carry out the powers and functions entrusted to it in accordance with this Treaty. In so doing, it shall act in conformity wit the recommendations, decisions and guidelines of the Conference and ensure their continuous and proper implementation. 
  • D. The Technical Secretariat: 42. The Technical Secretariat shall assist States Parties in the implementation of this Treaty. The Technical Secretariats shall assist the Conference and the Executive Council in the performance of their functions. The Technical Secretariat shall carry out the verification and other function entrusted to it by this Treaty, as well as those functions delegated to it by the Conference of the Executive Council in accordance with this Treaty. The Technical Secretariat shall include, as an integral part, the International Data Centre…44. The Technical Secretariat shall develop and maintain, subject to approval by the Executive Council, operational manuals to guide the operation of the various components of the verification regime, in accordance with Article IV and the Protocol. These manuals shall not constitute integral parts of this Treaty or the Protocol and may be changes by the Technical Secretariat subject to approval by the Executive Council. The technical Secretariat shall promptly inform the State Parties of any changes in the operational manuals…
  • Article III. National Implementation Measures: 1. Each State Party shall, in accordance with its constitutional processes, take any necessary measures to implement its obligations under this Treaty. In Particular, it shall take any necessary measures: (a) To prohibit natural and legal persons anywhere in its territory or in any other place under its jurisdiction as recognized by international law from undertaking any activity to a State Party under this Treaty; (b) To prohibit natural and legal persons from undertaking any such activity anywhere under its control; and (c) To prohibit, in conformity with international law; natural possessing its nationality from undertaking any such activity anywhere; 2. Each State Party shall inform the Organization of the measures takes pursuant to this Article…
  • Article IV. B. The International Monitoring System; 16. The International Monitoring System shall comprise facilities for seismological monitoring, radionuclide monitoring including certified laboratories, hydroacoustic monitoring, infrasound monitoring, and respective means of communication and shall be supported by the International Data Centre of the Technical Secretariat…C. Consultation and Clarification; 29. Without prejudice to the right of any State Party to request an on-site inspection, State Parties should, whenever possible first male every effort to clarify and resolve, among themselves or with or through the Organization, any matter which may cause concern about possible non-compliance with the basic obligations of this Treaty; 30. A State Party that receives a request pursuant to paragraph 29 directly from another State Party shall provide the clarification to the requesting State Party as soon as possible, but in any case no late than 48 hours after the request. The requesting and requested State Parties may keep the Executive Council and the Director-General in formed of the request and the response; 31. A State Party shall have the right to request the Director-General to assist in clarifying any matter which may cause concern about possible non-compliance with the basic obligations of this Treaty. The Director-General shall provide appropriate information in the possession of the Technical Secretariat relevant to such a concern. The Director-General shall inform the Executive Council of the request and of the information provided in response, if so requested by the requesting State Party ; D. On-Site Inspections; Request for an On-Site Inspection; 34. Each State Party has the right to request an on-site inspection in accordance with the provisions of this Article and Part II of the Protocol in the territory of in any other place under the jurisdiction or control of any State Party, or in any area beyond the jurisdiction or control of any State; 35. The sole Purpose of an on-site inspection shall be to clarify whether a nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion has been carried out in violation of Article U and, to the extent possible, to gather any facts which assist in identifying any possible violator…Follow-up after Executive Council Approval of an On-Site Inspection; 53. An on-site inspection approved by the Executive Council shall be conducted without delay by an inspection team designed by the Director-General and in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty and the Protocol. The inspection team shall arrive at the point of entry no later than six days following the receipt by the Executive Council of the on-site inspection from the requesting State-Party…The Conduct of an On-Site Inspection; 56. Each State Party shall permit the Organization to conduct an on-site inspection on its territory or at places under its jurisdiction or control in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty and the Protocol. However, no State Party shall have to accept simultaneous on-site inspections on its territory or at places under its jurisdiction or control…
  • Article V. Measure to Redress a Situation and to Ensure Compliance, Including Sanctions; 1. The Conference, taking into account, inter alia, the recommendations of the Executive Council, shall take the necessary measures, as set forth in paragraph 2 and 3, to ensure compliance with this Treaty and to redress and remedy any situation which contravenes the provisions of this Treaty
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (1989) In Force: 05.05.1992 Threats: 3, 9, 20, 2328
  • Preamble: "Fully recognizing that any State has the sovereign right to ban the entry or disposal of foreign hazardous wastes and other wastes in its territory…Noting that a number of international and regional agreements have addressed the issue of protection and preservation of the environment with regard to the transit of dangerous goods…Affirming that States are responsible for the fulfillment of their international obligations concerning the protection and preservation of the environment, and are liable in accordance with international law…are Determined to protect, by strict control, human health and the environment against the adverse effects which may result from the generation and management of hazardous wastes and other wastes." 
  • Article 2, Number 8: " ‘Environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and other wastes’ means taking all practical steps to ensure that hazardous wastes or other wastes are managed in a manner which will protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects which may result from such wastes." 
  • Article 4: General Obligations 1 a-c, 2 a-h;
  • Article 5, Number 1: "Designate or establish one or more competent authorities and one focal point. One competent authority shall be designated to receive the notification in case of a State of transit. 2. Inform the Secretariat [of these agencies] and 3. Inform the Secretariat…of changes regarding [this] designation."
  • Article 10-International Co-operation: 1. "The Parties shall co-operate with each other in order to improve and achieve environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and other wastes." Article 10, Number 2, b) Cooperate in monitoring the effects of the management of hazardous wastes on human health and the environment."
  • Article 13: 1) The Parties shall, whenever it comes to their knowledge, ensure that, in the case of an accident occurring during the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes or other wastes or their disposal, which are likely to present risks to human health and the environment in other States, those states are immediately informed. 2)The Parties shall inform each other, through the Secretariat, of: a) Changes regarding the designation of competent authorities and/or focal points… b) Changes in their national definition of hazardous wastes,…c) Decisions made by them not to consent totally or partially to the import of hazardous wastes or other wastes for disposal within the area under their national jurisdiction; d) Decisions taken by them to limit or ban the export of hazardous wastes or other wastes…
Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) In force: 12.17.1975 Threats:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 31
  • Article 1: For the purpose of this convention, the following shall be considered as 

  • "cultural heritage" : Monuments, architectural works, works of monumental sculptures and paintings, elements or structures of an archeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, which are or outstanding universal value from the point of view of history ,art groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; 
Sites: works of man of the combined works of nature and man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view.
  • Article 2: For the purpose of this convention, the following shall be considered as "natural heritage":
Natural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view;Geological and physiographical formations and precisely delineated areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation; Natural sites of precisely delineated natural areas of outstanding universal value from the point of view science, conservation or natural beauty.
  • Article 4: Each State Party to this Convention recognizes that the duty of ensuring the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 and situated on its territory, belongs primarily to that State. It will do all it can to this end, to the utmost of its own resources and, where appropriate, with any international assistance and cooperation, in particular, financial, artistic, scientific, technical, which it may be able to obtain. 
  • Article 6: 1. Whilst fully respecting the sovereignty of the States on whose territory the cultural and natural heritage mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 is situated , and without prejudice to property right provided by national legislation, the States Parties to this Convention recognize that such heritage constitutes a world heritage for whose protection it is the duty of the international community as a whole to co-operate. 
  • Article 7: For the purpose of this Convention, international protection of the world cultural and natural heritage shall be understood to mean the establishment of a system of international co-operation and assistance designed to support States Parties to the Convention in their efforts to conserve and identify that heritage. 
  • Article 8: 1. An Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, called " the World Heritage Committee," is hereby established within the United Nations Education, scientific and Cultural Organization. It shall be composed of 15 States Parties …
  • Article 11:…4. The committee shall establish, keep up to date and publish, whenever circumstances shall so require, under the title of "list of World Heritage in Danger," a list of the property appearing in the World Heritage List for the conservation of which major operations are necessary and for which assistance has been requested under this conservation. This list shall contain an estimate of the cost of such operations. This list may includes only such property forming part of the cultural and natural heritage as is threatened by serious and specific dangers, such as the threat of disappearance caused by accelerated deterioration, large-scale public or private projects or rapid urban or tourist development projects; destruction caused by changes in the use or ownership of the land; major alternations due to unknown causes; abandonment for any reason whatsoever; the outbreak of the threat of an armed conflict; calamities and cataclysms; serious fires, earthquakes, landslides; volcanic eruptions, changes in water level, floods and tidal waves. The Committee may at any time, in case of urgent need, make a new entry in the list of World Heritage in danger and publicize such entry immediately. 
Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) In Force: 12.29.1993 Threats:3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 31, 32
  • states have sovereign rights over their own biological resources (preamble)
  • fundamental requirement for the conservation of … is the in-situ conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species…
  • Article 4: Jurisdictional Scope.. subject to the rights of other States..
    • …in areas within the limits of its national jurisdiction;
    • in the case of processes and activities, regardless of where their effects occur, carried out under its jurisdictional or control within the area of its national jurisdiction or beyond the limits of national jurisdiction
  • Article 5: Each Contracting Party shall…cooperate with other Contracting Parties….where appropriate, through competent international organizations, in respect of areas beyond national jurisdiction and on other matters of mutual interest, for the conservation and sustainable Use of biological diversity. 
  • Article 14: 1) Each Contracting Party, as far as possible and as appropriate, shall: a) Introduce appropriate procedures requiring environmental impact assessment of its proposed projects that are likely to have significant adverse effects on biological diversity with a view to avoiding or minimizing such effects and, where appropriate, allow for public participation in such procedures; b) Introduce appropriate arrangements to ensure that the environmental consequences of its programs and policies that are likely to have significant adverse impacts on biological diversity are duly taken into account; c) Promote, on the basis of reciprocity, notification, exchange of information and consultation on activities under their jurisdiction or control which are likely to significantly affect adversely the biological diversity of other States or areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, by encouraging the conclusion of bilateral, regional or multilateral arrangements, as appropriate; d) In the case of imminent or grave danger or damage, originating under its jurisdiction or control, to biological diversity within the area under jurisdiction of oilier States or in areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, notify immediately the potentially affected States of such danger or damage, as well as initiate action to prevent or minimize such danger or damage; and e) Promote national arrangements for emergency responses to activities or events, whether caused naturally or otherwise, which present a grave and imminent danger to biological diversity and encourage international cooperation to supplement such national efforts and, where appropriate and agreed by the States or regional economic integration organizations concerned, to establish joint contingency plans. 2) The Conference of the Parties shall examine, on the basis of studies to be carried out, the issue of liability and redress, including restoration and compensation, for damage to biological diversity, except where such liability is a purely internal
  • Article 15: Access to Genetic Resources 1. Recognizing the sovereign rights of States over their natural resources, the authority to determine access to genetic resources rests with the national governments and is subject to national legislation. 2. Each Contracting Party shall endeavor to create conditions to facilitate access to genetic resources for environmentally sound uses by other Contracting Parties and not to impose restrictions that run counter to the objectives of this Convention. 3. For the purpose of this Convention, the genetic resources being provided by a Contracting Party, as referred to in this Article and Articles 16 and 19, are only those that are provided by Contracting Parties that are countries of origin of such resources or by the Parties that have acquired the genetic resources in accordance with this Convention. 4. Access, where granted, shall be on mutually agreed terms and subject to the provisions of this
  • Article 27: 1) In the event of a dispute between Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention, the parties concerned shall seek solution by negotiation. 2) If the parties concerned cannot reach agreement by negotiation, they may jointly seek the good offices of, or request mediation by, a third party. 3) When ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to this Convention, or at any time thereafter, a State or regional economic integration organization may declare in writing to the Depositary that for a dispute not resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 above, it accepts one or both of the following means of dispute settlement as compulsory: a) Arbitration in accordance with the procedure laid down in Part 1 of Annex II; b) Submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice. 4) If the parties to the dispute have not, in accordance with paragraph 3 above, accepted the same or any procedure, the dispute shall be submitted to conciliation in accordance with Part 2 of Annex II unless the parties otherwise agree. 
  • Annex I Part I 
  • Article 1: …If the parties do not agree on the subject matter of the dispute before the President of the tribunal is designated, the arbitral tribunal shall determine the subject matter. 
  • Article 4: The arbitral tribunal shall render its decisions in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, any protocols concerned, and international law. 
  • Article 6: The arbitral tribunal may, at the request of one of the parties, recommend essential interim measures of protection. 
  • Article 13: If one of the parties to the dispute does not appear before the arbitral tribunal or fails to defend its case, the other party may request the tribunal to continue the proceedings and to make its award. Absence of a party or a failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings. Before rendering its final decision, the arbitral tribunal must satisfy itself that the claim is well founded in fact and law. 
  • Article 16: The award shall be binding on the parties to the dispute. It shall be without appeal unless the parties to the dispute have agreed in advance to an appellate procedure. 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973) In Force: 07.01.1975 Threats: 3, 22
  • Preamble: …wild fauna and flora…are irreplaceable part of the natural systems…which must be protected for this and generations to come; international cooperation is essential for the protection 
  • Article II (fundamental principles): 1. Include all species threatened with extinction which are or may be affected by trade. Trade in specimens…must be subject to…strict regulation …must only be authorized in exceptional circumstances.
  • Article III (Regulations of Trade in Specimens of Species Included in Appendix I) :2. The export of any specimen of a species included in Appendix I shall require the prior grant and presentation of an export permit. Conditions for export permit: a Scientific Authority of the State of export has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival; a Management Authority of the State of export (MASE) satisfied that the specimen was not obtained in contravention of the Law of that State; a MASE is satisfied that any living specimen will be so prepared and shipped as to minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment
Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (1992) In force: 10.06.1996
Open to State members of the ECE.
Threats: 8, 13, 14
  • Preamble: The Parties of this Convention, Mindful that he protection and use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes re important and urgent tasks, the effective accomplishment of which can only be ensured by enhanced co-operation,
Concerned over the existence and threat of adverse effects, in the short or long term, of changes in the conditions of transboundary watercourses and international lakes on the environment, economies and well-being of the member countries of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE),

Emphasizing the need for strengthened national and international measures to prevent, control and reduce the release of hazardous substances into the aquatic environment and to abate eutrophication and acidification , as well as pollution of the marine environment, in particular coastal areas, from land-based sources.,

Commending the efforts already undertaken by the ECE Governments to strengthen co-operation, on bilateral and multilateral levels, for the prevention, control and reduction of transboundary pollution, sustainable water management, conservation of water resources and environmental protection, …

  • Article 1: DEFINITIONS: "Transboundary waters" means any surface or ground waters which mark, cross of are located on boundaries between two or more states; wherever transboundary waters flow directly into the sea, these transboundary waters end at a straight line across their respective mouths between points on the low-water line of their banks; 2. "Transboudnary impact" means any significant adverse effect on the environment resulting from a change in the conditions of transboundary waters caused by a human activity, the physical origin of which is situated wholly or in party within an area under the jurisdiction or a Party, within an area under the jurisdiction of another party. Such effects on the environment includes effects on human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, climate, landscape and historical monuments or other physical structures on the cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from alterations to those factors.
  • Article 2: GENERAL PROVISIONS: 1. The Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent, control and reduce any transboundary impact; 2. Parties shall , in particular, take all appropriate measures; a) To prevent, control and reduce pollution of waters causing or likely to cause transboundary impact; b) To ensure that transboundary waters are used with the aim of ecologically sound and rational water management, conservation of water resources and environmental protection; c) to ensure that transboundary waters are used in a reasonable and equitable way, taking into particular account their transboundary character, in the case of activities which cause or are likely to cause transboundary impact;…5. In taking the measures referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2of the article, shall be guided by the following principles:…b) The polluter-pays principle, by virtue of which costs of pollution prevention, control and reduction measure shall be borne by the polluter;…6. The Riparian Parties shall co-operate on the basis of equality and reciprocity, in particular through bilateral and multilateral agreements, in order to develop harmonized policies, programmes and strategies covering the relevant catchment areas, or parts thereof, aimed at the prevention, control and reduction of transboundary impact and aimed at the protection of the environment of transboundary waters or the environment influenced by such waters, including the marine environment. 
  • Article 5: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: The Parties shall so-operate in the conduct of research into and development of effective techniques for the prevention, control and reduction of transboundary impact. To this effect, the Parties shall, on a bilateral and/or multilateral basis, taking into account research activities pursued in relevant international forums, endeavour to initiate or intensify specific research programmes, where necessary, aimed, inter alia at:…
  • Article 7: RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY: The Parties shall support appropriate international efforts to elaborate rules, criteria and procedures in the field of responsibility and liability. 
  • Article 10: CONSULTATIONS: Consultations shall be held between the Riparian Parties on the basis of reciprocity, good faith and good-neighbourliness, at the request of any such party. Such consultations of this Convention. Any such consultations shall be conducted through a joint body established under Article 9 of this Convention, where one exists. 
  • Article 23: SETTLEMENTS OF DISPUTES: 1. If a dispute arises between two or more Parties about the interpretation of application of this Convention, they shall seek a solution by negotiation or by any other means of dispute settlement acceptable to the parties to the dispute; 2. When signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to this Convention, or at any time thereafter, a Party may declare in writing to the Depository that, for a dispute not resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article, it accepts one or both of the following means of dispute settlement as compulsory in relations to any Party accepting the same obligation: a) Submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice. 
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) In Force: 11.16.1994
160 & EC (U.S. voluntarily adheres to)
Threats:4, 5, 8, 10, 16, 22, 24, 28, 30, 31 
PART II: TERRITORIAL SEA AND CONTIGUOUS ZONE
  • Article 2: 1) The sovereignty of a coastal State extends, beyond its land territory and internal waters and, in the case of an archipelagic State, its archipelagic waters, to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea. 2) This sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as to Its bed and subsoil. 3) The sovereignty over the territorial sea is exercised subject to this Convention and to other rules of international law.
  • Article 3: Every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baselines determined in accordance with this Convention.
  • Article 4: The outer limit of the territorial sea is the line every point of which is at a distance from the nearest point of the baseline equal to the breadth of the territorial sea.
  • Article 5: Except where otherwise provided in this Convention, the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal State.
  • Article 6: In the case of islands situated on atolls or of islands having fringing reefs, the baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the seaward low-water line of the reef, as shown by the appropriate symbol on charts officially recognized by the coastal State.
  • Article 8: 1) Except as provided in Part IV, waters on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea form part of the internal waters of the State. 2) Where the establishment of a straight baseline in accordance with the method set forth in article 7 has the effect of enclosing as internal waters areas which had not previously been considered as such, a right of innocent passage as provided in this Convention shall exist in those waters.
  • Article 17: Subject to this Convention, ships of all States, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. 
  • Article 21: 1) The coastal State may adopt laws and regulations, in conformity with the provisions of this Convention and other rules of international law, relating to innocent passage through the territorial sea, in respect of all or any of the following: (a) the safety of navigation and the regulation of maritime traffic; (b) the protection of navigational aids and facilities and other facilities or installations; (c) the protection of cables and pipelines; (d) the conservation of the living resources of the sea; (e) the prevention of infringement of the fisheries laws and regulations of the coastal State; (f) the preservation of the environment of the coastal State and the prevention, reduction and control of pollution thereof; (g) marine scientific research and hydrographic surveys; (h) the prevention of infringement of the customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations of the coastal State. 2) Such laws and regulations shall not apply to the design, construction, manning or equipment of foreign ships unless they are giving effect to generally accepted international rules or standards. 3) The coastal State shall give due publicity to all such laws and regulations. 4) Foreign ships exercising the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea shall comply with all such laws and regulations and all generally accepted international regulations relating to the prevention of collisions at sea.
  • Article 32: With such exceptions as are contained in subsection A and in articles 30 and 31, nothing in this Convention affects the immunities of warships and other government ships operated for non-commercial purposes.
  • Article 33: 1) In a zone contiguous to its territorial sea…, the coastal State may exercise the control necessary to: (a) prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; (b) punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea. 2) The contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
  • Article 56: State has: a) sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the sea-bed and of the sea-bed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds; b) jurisdiction as provided for in the relevant provisions of this Convention with regard to: i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures; ii)marine scientific research; iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment; c) other rights and duties provided for in this Convention. 2) In exercising its rights and performing its duties under this Convention in the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State shall have due regard to the rights and duties of other States and shall act in a manner compatible with the provisions of this Convention. 
  • Article 135: Neither this Part nor any rights granted or exercised pursuant thereto shall affect the legal status of the waters superjacent to the Area or that of the air space above those waters. 
PART XII: PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
  • Article 192: States have the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment.
  • Article 193: States have the sovereign right to exploit their natural resources pursuant to their environmental policies and in accordance with their duty to protect and preserve the marine environment.
  • Article 194: 1. States shall take…, all measures consistent with this Convention that are necessary to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment from any source, using for this purpose the best practicable means at their disposal and in accordance with their capabilities, and they shall endeavor to harmonize their policies in this connection. 2) States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that activities under their jurisdiction or control are so conducted as not to cause damage by pollution to other States and their environment, and that pollution arising from incidents or activities under their jurisdiction or control does not spread beyond the areas where they exercise sovereign rights in accordance with this Convention operation...4) In taking measures to prevent, reduce or control pollution of the marine environment, States shall refrain from unjustifiable interference with activities carried out by other States in the exercise of their rights and in pursuance of their duties in conformity with this Convention. 5) The measures taken in accordance with this Part shall include those necessary to protect and preserve rare or fragile ecosystems as well as the habitat of depleted, threatened or endangered species and other forms of marine life.
  • Article 195: in taking measures to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment, States shall act so as not to transfer…damage or hazards from one area to another or transform one type of pollution into another.
  • Article 196: 1. States shall take all measures necessary to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment resulting from the use of technologies under their jurisdiction or control, or the intentional or accidental introduction of species, alien or new, to a particular part of the marine environment, which may cause significant and harmful changes thereto.
SECTION 2. GLOBAL AND REGIONAL CO-OPERATION
  • Article 198: When a State becomes aware of cases in which the marine environment is in imminent danger of being damaged or has been damaged by pollution, it shall immediately notify other States it deems likely to be affected by such damage, as well as the competent international organizations.
  • Article 199: In the cases referred to in article 198, States in the area affected, in accordance with their capabilities, and the competent international
PART XV: SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
  • Article 279: States Parties shall settle any dispute between them concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention by peaceful means in accordance with Article 2, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations and, to this end, shall seek a solution by the means indicated in Article 33, paragraph 1, of the Charter.
  • Article 280: Nothing in this Part impairs the right of any States Parties to agree at any time to settle a dispute between them concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention by any peaceful means of their own choice.
  • Article 281: 1. If the States Parties which are parties to a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention have agreed to seek settlement of the dispute by a peaceful means of their own choice, the procedures provided for in this Part apply only where no settlement has been reached by recourse to such means and the agreement between the parties does not exclude any further procedure . 2) If the parties have also agreed on a time limit, paragraph 1 applies only upon the expiration of that time limit.
  • Article 282: If the States Parties which are parties to a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention have agreed, through a general, regional or bilateral agreement or otherwise, that such dispute shall, at the request of any party to the dispute, be submitted to a procedure that entails a binding decision, that procedure shall apply in lieu of the procedures provided for in this Part, unless the parties to the dispute otherwise agree.
  • Article 283: 1. When a dispute arises between States Parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention, the parties to the dispute shall proceed expeditiously to an exchange of views regarding its settlement by negotiation or other peaceful means. 2) The parties shall also proceed expeditiously to an exchange of views where a procedure for the settlement of such a dispute has been terminated without a settlement or where a settlement has been reached and the circumstances require consultation regarding the manner of implementing the settlement.
  • Article 284: 1. A State Party which is a party to a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention may invite the other party or parties to submit the dispute to conciliation in accordance with the procedure under Annex V, section 1, or another conciliation procedure. 2. If the invitation is accepted and if the parties agree upon the conciliation procedure to be applied, any party may submit the dispute to that procedure. 3. If the invitation is not accepted or the parties do not agree upon the procedure, the conciliation proceedings shall be deemed to be terminated. 4. Unless the parties otherwise agree, when a dispute has been submitted to conciliation, the proceedings may be terminated only in accordance with the agreed conciliation procedure.
SECTION 2. COMPULSORY PROCEDURES ENTAILING BINDING DECISIONS
  • Article 286: Subject to section 3, any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention shall, where no settlement has been reached by recourse to section 1, be submitted at the request of any party to the dispute to the court or tribunal having jurisdiction under this section.
  • Article 287: 1. When signing, ratifying or acceding to this Convention or at any time thereafter, a State shall be free to choose, by means of a written declaration, one or more of the following means for the settlement of disputes concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention: (a) the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea established in accordance with Annex VI; (b) the International Court of Justice; (c) an arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with Annex VII; (d) a special arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with Annex VIII for one or more of the categories of disputes specified therein. 2. A declaration made under paragraph 1 shall not affect or be affected by the obligation of a State Party to accept the jurisdiction of the Sea-Bed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to the extent and in the manner provided for in Part XI, section 5. 3. A State Party, which is a party to a dispute not covered by a declaration in force, shall be deemed to have accepted arbitration in accordance with Annex VII. . If the parties to a dispute have accepted the same procedure for the settlement of the dispute, it may be submitted only to that procedure, unless the parties otherwise agree. 5. If the parties to a dispute have not accepted the same procedure for the settlement of the dispute, it may be submitted only to arbitration in accordance with Annex VII, unless the parties otherwise agree. 6. A declaration made under paragraph 1 shall remain in force until three months after notice of revocation has been deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. 7. A new declaration, a notice of revocation or the expiry of a declaration does not in any way affect proceedings pending before a court or tribunal having jurisdiction under this article, unless the parties otherwise agree. 8. Declarations and notices referred to in this article shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall transmit copies thereof to the States Parties.
  • Article 288: . 1) A court or tribunal referred to in article 287 shall have jurisdiction over any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this… 2. A court or tribunal referred to in article 287 shall also have jurisdiction over any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of an international agreement related to the purposes of this Convention... 3. The Sea-Bed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the…, and any other chamber or arbitral tribunal referred to in Part XI, section 5, shall have jurisdiction in any matter... 4. In the event of a dispute as to whether a court or tribunal has jurisdiction, the matter shall be settled by decision of that court or tribunal.
  • Article 290: 1. If a dispute has been duly submitted to a court or tribunal which considers that prima facie it has jurisdiction under this Part or Part XI, section 5, the court or tribunal may prescribe any provisional measures which it considers appropriate under the circumstances to preserve the respective rights of the parties to the dispute or to prevent serious harm to the marine environment, pending the final decision. 2. Provisional measures may be modified or revoked as soon as the circumstances justifying them have changed or ceased to exist. 3. Provisional measures may be prescribed, modified or revoked under this article only at the request of a party to the dispute and after the parties have been given an opportunity to be heard. 4. The court or tribunal shall forthwith give notice to the parties to the dispute, and to such other States Parties as it considers appropriate, of the prescription, modification or revocation of provisional measures. 5. Pending the constitution of an arbitral tribunal to which a dispute is being submitted under this section, any court or tribunal agreed upon by the parties or, failing such agreement within two weeks from the date of the request for provisional measures, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea or, with respect to activities in the Area, the Sea-Bed Disputes Chamber, may prescribe, modify or revoke provisional measures in accordance with this article if it considers that prima facie the tribunal which is to be constituted would have jurisdiction and that the urgency of the situation so requires. Once constituted, the tribunal to which the dispute has been submitted may modify, revoke or affirm those provisional measures, acting in conformity with paragraphs 1 to 4. 6. The parties to the dispute shall comply promptly with any provisional measures prescribed under this article.
  • Article 291: 1. All the dispute settlement procedures specified in this Part shall be open to States Parties. 2. The dispute settlement procedures specified in this Part shall be open to entities other than States Parties only as specifically provided for in this Convention.
  • Article 293: 1. A court or tribunal having jurisdiction under this section shall apply this Convention and other rules of international law not incompatible with this Convention. 2. Paragraph 1 does not prejudice the power of the court or tribunal having jurisdiction under this section to decide a case ex aequo et bono, if the parties so agree.
  • Article 294: 1. A court or tribunal provided for in article 287 to which an application is made in respect of a dispute referred to in article 297 shall determine at the request of a party, or may determine proprio motu, whether the claim constitutes an abuse of legal process or whether prima facie it is well founded. If the court or tribunal determines that the claim constitutes an abuse of legal process or is prima facie unfounded, it shall take no further action in the case. 3. Nothing in this article affects the right of any party to a dispute to make preliminary objections in accordance with the applicable rules of procedure.
  • Article 295: Any dispute between States Parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention may be submitted to the procedures provided for in this section only after local remedies have been exhausted where this is required by international law.
  • Article 296: 1. Any decision rendered by a court or tribunal having jurisdiction under this section shall be final and shall be complied with by all the parties to the dispute. 2. Any such decision shall have no binding force except between the parties and in respect of that particular dispute.
SECTION 3. LIMITATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS TO APPLICABILITY OF SECTION 2
  • Article 297: 1. Disputes concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention with regard to the exercise by a coastal State of its sovereign rights or jurisdiction provided for in this Convention shall be subject to the procedures provided for in section 2 in the following cases: (a) when it is alleged that a coastal State has acted in contravention of the provisions of this Convention in regard to the freedoms and rights of navigation, overflight or the laying of submarine cables and pipelines, or in regard to other internationally lawful uses of the sea specified in article 58; (b) when it is alleged that a State in exercising the aforementioned freedoms, rights or uses has acted in contravention of this Convention or of laws or regulations adopted by the coastal State in conformity with this Convention and other rules of international law not incompatible with this Convention; or (c) when it is alleged that a coastal State has acted in contravention of specified international rules and standards for the protection and preservation of the marine environment which are applicable to the coastal State and which have been established by this Convention or through a competent international organization or diplomatic conference in accordance with this Convention. 2) (a) Disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Convention with regard to marine scientific research shall be settled in accordance with section 2, except that the coastal State shall not be obliged to accept the submission to such settlement of any dispute arising out of: (i) the exercise by the coastal State of a right or discretion in accordance with article 246, or (ii) a decision by the coastal State to order suspension or cessation of a research project in accordance with article 253. (b) A dispute arising from an allegation by the researching State that with respect to a specific project the coastal State is not exercising its rights under articles 246 and 253 in a manner compatible with this Convention shall be submitted, at the request of either party, to conciliation under Annex V, section 2, provided that the conciliation commission shall not call in question the exercise by the coastal State of its discretion to designate specific areas as referred to in article 246, paragraph 6, or of its discretion to withhold consent in accordance with article 246, paragraph 5. 3) (a) Disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Convention with regard to fisheries shall be settled in accordance with section 2, except that the coastal State shall not be obliged to accept the submission to such settlement of any dispute relating to its sovereign rights with respect to the living resources in the exclusive economic zone or their exercise, including its discretionary powers for determining the allowable act, its harvesting capacity, the allocation of surpluses to other States and the terms and conditions established in its conservation and management laws and regulations. (b) Where no settlement has been reached by recourse to section 1 of this Part, a dispute shall be submitted to conciliation under Annex V, section 2, at the request of any party to the dispute, when it is alleged that: (i) a coastal State has manifestly failed to comply with its obligations to ensure through proper conservation and management measures that the maintenance of the living resources in the exclusive economic zone is not seriously endangered; (ii) a coastal State has arbitrarily refused to determine, at the request of another State, the allowable catch and its capacity to harvest living resources with respect to stocks which that other State is interested in fishing, or (iii) a coastal State has arbitrarily refused to allocate to any State, under articles 62, 69 and 70 and under the terms and conditions established by the coastal State consistent with this Convention, the whole or part of the surplus it has declared to exist. c) In no case shall the conciliation commission substitute its discretion for that of the coastal State. (d) The report of the conciliation commission shall be communicated to the appropriate international organizations. (e) In negotiating agreements pursuant to articles 69 and 70, States Parties, unless they otherwise agree, shall include a clause on measures which they shall take in order to minimize the possibility of a disagreement concerning the interpretation or application of the agreement, and on how they should proceed if a disagreement nevertheless arises.
  • Article 298: Optional exceptions to applicability of section 2: 1. When signing, ratifying or acceding to this Convention or at any time thereafter, a State may, without prejudice to the obligations arising under section 1, declare in writing that it does not accept any one or more of the procedures provided for in section 2 with respect to one or more of the following categories of disputes: (a) (i) disputes concerning the interpretation or application of articles 15, 74 and 83 relating to sea boundary delimitations, or those involving historic bays or titles, provided that a State having made such a declaration shall, when such a dispute arises subsequent to the entry into force of this Convention and where no agreement within a reasonable period of time is reached in negotiations between the parties, at the request of any party to the dispute, accept submission of the matter to conciliation under Annex V, section 2; and provided further that any dispute that necessarily involves the concurrent consideration of any unsettled dispute concerning sovereignty or other rights over continental or insular land territory shall be excluded from such submission; (ii) after the conciliation commission has presented its report, which shall state the reasons on which it is based, the parties shall negotiate an agreement on the basis of that report; if these negotiations do not result in an agreement, the parties shall, by mutual consent, submit the question to one of the procedures provided for in section 2, unless the parties otherwise agree; (iii) this subparagraph does not apply to any sea boundary dispute finally settled by an arrangement between the parties, or to any such dispute which is to be settled in accordance with a bilateral or multilateral agreement binding upon those parties; (b) disputes concerning military activities, including military activities by government vessels and aircraft engaged in non-commercial service, and disputes concerning law enforcement activities in regard to the exercise of sovereign rights or jurisdiction excluded from the jurisdiction of a court or tribunal under article 297, paragraph 2 or 3; (c) disputes in respect of which the Security Council of the United Nations is exercising the functions assigned to it by the Charter of the United Nations, unless the Security Council decides to remove the matter from its agenda or calls upon the parties to settle it by the means provided for in this Convention. 2. A State Party which has made a declaration under paragraph 1 may at any time withdraw it, or agree to submit a dispute excluded by such declaration to any procedure specified in this Convention. 3. A State Party which has made a declaration under paragraph 1 shall not be entitled to submit any dispute falling within the excepted category of disputes to any procedure in this Convention as against another State Party, without the consent of that party. 4. If one of the States Parties has made a declaration under paragraph 1: (a), any other State Party may submit any dispute falling within an excepted category against the declarant party to the procedure specified in such declaration. 5. A new declaration, or the withdrawal of a declaration, does not in any way affect proceedings pending before a court or tribunal in accordance with this article, unless the parties otherwise agree. 6. Declarations and notices of withdrawal of declarations under this article shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall transmit copies thereof to the States Parties. 
  • Article 299: 1. A dispute excluded under article 297 or excepted by a declaration made under article 298 from the dispute settlement procedures provided for in section 2 may be submitted to such procedures only by agreement of the parties to the dispute. 2. Nothing in this section impairs the right of the parties to the dispute to agree to some other procedure for the settlement of such dispute or to reach an amicable settlement
ANNEX V. CONCILIATION: 

SECTION 1. CONCILIATION PROCEDURE PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 OF PART XV

  • Article 1: If the parties to a dispute have agreed, in accordance with article 284, to submit it to conciliation under this section, any such party may institute the proceedings by written notification addressed to the other party or parties to the dispute. 
  • Article 5: The commission may draw the attention of the parties to any measures which might facilitate an amicable settlement of the dispute.
  • Article 6: The commission shall hear the parties, examine their claims and objections, and make proposals to the parties with a view to reaching an amicable settlement.
  • Article 10: The parties to the dispute may by agreement applicable solely to that dispute modify any provision of this Annex.
SECTION 2. COMPULSORY SUBMISSION TO CONCILIATION PROCEDURE PURSUANT TO SECTION 3 OF PART XV
  • Article 11: 1. Any party to a dispute which, in accordance with Part XV, section 3, may be submitted to conciliation under this section, may institute the proceedings by written notification addressed to the other party or parties to the dispute. 2. Any party to the dispute, notified under paragraph 1, shall be obliged to submit to such proceedings.
  • Article 12: The failure of a party or parties to the dispute to reply to notification of institution of proceedings or to submit to such proceedings shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings.
ANNEX VI. STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE LAW OF THE SEA SECTION 1:
  • Article 2: 2. In the Tribunal as a whole the representation of the principal legal systems of the world and equitable geographical distribution shall be assured.
  • Article 21: The jurisdiction of the Tribunal comprises all disputes and all applications submitted to it in accordance with this Convention and all matters specifically provided for in any other agreement which confers jurisdiction on the Tribunal.
  • Article 22: If all the parties to a treaty or convention already in force and concerning the subject-matter covered by this Convention so agree, any disputes concerning the interpretation or application of such treaty or convention may, in accordance with such agreement, be submitted to the Tribunal.
  • Article 28: When one of the parties does not appear before the Tribunal or fails to defend its case, the other party may request the Tribunal to continue the proceedings and make its decision. Absence of a party or failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings. Before making its decision, the Tribunal must satisfy itself not only that it has jurisdiction over the dispute, but also that the claim is well founded in fact and law.
  • Article 31: 1. Should a State Party consider that it has an interest of a legal nature which may be affected by the decision in any dispute, it may submit a request to the Tribunal to be permitted to intervene. 2. It shall be for the Tribunal to decide upon this request. 3. If a request to intervene is granted, the decision of the Tribunal in respect of the dispute shall be binding upon the intervening State Party in so far as it relates to matters in respect of which that State Party intervened.
  • Article 33: 1. The decision of the Tribunal is final and shall be complied with by all the parties to the dispute. 2. The decision shall have no binding force except between the parties in respect of that particular dispute. 3. In the event of dispute as to the meaning or scope of the decision, the Tribunal shall construe it upon the request of any party.
ANNEX VII. ARBITRATION
  • Article 9: If one of the parties to the dispute does not appear before the arbitral tribunal or fails to defend its case, the other party may request the tribunal to continue the proceedings and to make its award. Absence of a party or failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings. 
  • Article 11: The award shall be final and without appeal, unless the parties to the dispute have agreed in advance to an appellate procedure. It shall be complied with by the parties to the dispute.
  • Article 12: 1. Any controversy which may arise between the parties to the dispute as regards the interpretation or manner of implementation of the award may be submitted by either party for decision to the arbitral tribunal which made the award. 2. Any such controversy may be submitted to another court or tribunal under article 287 by agreement of all the parties to the dispute.
ANNEX VIII. SPECIAL ARBITRATION:
  • Article 1: Subject to Part XV, any party to a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the articles of this Convention relating to (1) fisheries, (2) protection and preservation of the marine environment, (3) marine scientific research, or (4) navigation, including pollution from vessels and by dumping may submit the dispute to the special arbitral procedure provided for in this Annex …
  • Article 5: 1. The parties to a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Convention relating to (1) fisheries, (2) protection and preservation of the marine environment, (3) marine scientific research, or (4) navigation, including pollution from vessels and by dumping, may at any time agree to request a special arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with article 3 of this Annex to carry out an inquiry and establish the facts giving rise to the dispute. 2. Unless the parties otherwise agree, the findings of fact of the special arbitral tribunal acting in accordance with paragraph 1, shall be considered as conclusive as between the parties. 3. If all the parties to the dispute so request, the special arbitral tribunal may formulate recommendations which, without having the force of a decision, shall only constitute the basis for a review by the parties of the questions giving rise to the dispute. 
Convention on the High Seas (1958) In Force: 09.30.1962 Threats:13, 24
  • Article 2: The high seas being open to all nations, no State may validly purport to subject any part of them to its sovereignty. Freedom of the high seas is exercised under the conditions laid down by these articles and by the other rules of international law. It comprises, inter alia, both for coastal and non-coastal States: 1) Freedom of navigation; 2) Freedom of fishing; 3) Freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines; 4) Freedom to fly over the high seas. These freedom, and others which are recognised by the general principles of international law, shall be exercised by all States with reasonable regard to the interests of other States in their exercise of the freedom of the high seas.
  • Article 3: 1) In order to enjoy the freedom of the seas on equal terms with coastal States, States having no sea-coast should have free access to the sea… a) To the State having no sea-coast, on a basis of reciprocity, free transit through their territory; and b) To ships flying the flag of that State treatment equal to that accorded to their own ships, or to the ships of any other States, as regards access to seaports and the use of such ports.
  • Article 4: Every State, whether coastal or not, has the right to sail ships under its flag on