Maritime rights of coastal states and climate change : should states adapt to submerged boundaries?
Di Leva, Charles | Morita, Sachiko
The threats of climate change have gone beyond environmental concerns they have now reached a stage where they raise geopolitical concerns due to their potential effect on national boundaries. Given rapidly rising sea levels, coastal states, and low-lying areas are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. These regions contain some of the world's highest population densities and most critical infrastructure. In addition to their direct impact on the infrastructure and the livelihood of the populations of these regions, rising sea levels may also bring about new challenges for these states. Namely, as sea levels rise, coastlines may shift or submerge. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on some of the potential legal implications of such a possible shift in coastlines. The paper notes that if such a shift occurs, it may have grave implications, particularly for developing countries that lack the resources and capacity to address complicated historical and geographic approaches to boundary claims. The paper concludes by recommending that both technical and financial assistance be provided to these developing coastal states and low-lying regions so that they can approach any future territorial and maritime boundary negotiations with the necessary tools.
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