Sea-Level Rise and the Legal Stability of Maritime Zones

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a State's maritime zones and the rights they confer are tied to its land territory. As climate change accelerates coastal erosion and inundation, traditional assumptions suggest these entitlements could shrink or disappear, with profound implications for access to marine resources. Sea-Level Rise and the Legal Stability of Maritime Zones explores the development of a new legal perspective that supports the preservation of maritime zones despite rising sea levels.

This book advances a contemporary interpretation of UNCLOS, drawing on a broad spectrum of state practice as reflected in international declarations and domestic legislation. Through systematic analysis of this evidence within the framework of treaty interpretation, Frances Anggadi consolidates the doctrinal basis for the view that the preservation of maritime zones may be achieved through interpreting existing provisions of UNCLOS, rather than requiring a treaty amendment.

As the first comprehensive work to conceptualize this emerging perspective, it offers a clear and principled framework for safeguarding maritime zones, demonstrating how international law can evolve to address global environmental challenges.