Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks 1995 (UN Fish Stocks Agreement) and UNCLOS.
32 In addition to the above,
the FAO has also been instrumental in establishing several Regional Fisheries
Management Organizations (RFMOs) that have the objective of addressing challenges relating to fish stocks. As these regimes have some degree of autonomy and
independence from the UN system, they will be explored in the following section.
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is responsible for the administration of the Convention Concerning the Protection of World
Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972. As of January 2018, 49 marine areas have been
inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their exceptional natural features.
33 Established under the auspices of UNESCO, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Organization of UNESCO (IOC) and its Advisory Body of Experts on the
Law of the Sea also play an important role in advancing marine scientific research
and the management, conservation and protection of the marine environment.
34
The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) was established in 1972 following
the UN Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment 1972. In general, UNEP
has overall responsibility for environmental problems among United Nations agencies and fulfils this role through representation in conferences, workshops, working
groups and other discussions held by those agencies, as well as by disseminating
environmental information through the publication of periodical assessments and
reports. While often being criticized of being weak, unstructured and ambivalent,
UNEP has been instrumental in establishing or propelling various mechanisms,
efforts and measures to protect and preserve the environment as well as to address
threats such as pollution and overexploitation of resources.
35 The UNEP has been
particularly influential in designing and supporting Regional Seas Programmes
(RSPs) and Action Plans that aspires to address ‘the accelerating degradation of
the world’s oceans and coastal areas by engaging neighbouring countries in comprehensive and specific actions to protect their common marine environment’.
36
Similar to the numerous RFMOs established through the FAO, these RSPs have
some degree of autonomy and independence from the UN system. As such, these
regimes will be considered in the following section.
From the above, it can be surmised that the UN and its related organizations have
contributed significantly to the overall development of the international law of the
sea. Nevertheless, a substantial part of agenda setting, implementation and execution
are carried out by bodies that fall outside the UN family. This will be
considered next.
32 Tanaka (2015a), p. 36.
33 World Heritage Convention and UNESCO (2018).
34 Harden-Davies (2016), p. 261; Rothwell and Stephens (2016), pp. 573–574.
35 Ivanova (2007).
36 UNEP (2018).
44
P. A. Singh
Stocks 1995 (UN Fish Stocks Agreement) and UNCLOS.
32 In addition to the above,
the FAO has also been instrumental in establishing several Regional Fisheries
Management Organizations (RFMOs) that have the objective of addressing challenges relating to fish stocks. As these regimes have some degree of autonomy and
independence from the UN system, they will be explored in the following section.
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is responsible for the administration of the Convention Concerning the Protection of World
Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972. As of January 2018, 49 marine areas have been
inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their exceptional natural features.
33 Established under the auspices of UNESCO, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Organization of UNESCO (IOC) and its Advisory Body of Experts on the
Law of the Sea also play an important role in advancing marine scientific research
and the management, conservation and protection of the marine environment.
34
The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) was established in 1972 following
the UN Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment 1972. In general, UNEP
has overall responsibility for environmental problems among United Nations agencies and fulfils this role through representation in conferences, workshops, working
groups and other discussions held by those agencies, as well as by disseminating
environmental information through the publication of periodical assessments and
reports. While often being criticized of being weak, unstructured and ambivalent,
UNEP has been instrumental in establishing or propelling various mechanisms,
efforts and measures to protect and preserve the environment as well as to address
threats such as pollution and overexploitation of resources.
35 The UNEP has been
particularly influential in designing and supporting Regional Seas Programmes
(RSPs) and Action Plans that aspires to address ‘the accelerating degradation of
the world’s oceans and coastal areas by engaging neighbouring countries in comprehensive and specific actions to protect their common marine environment’.
36
Similar to the numerous RFMOs established through the FAO, these RSPs have
some degree of autonomy and independence from the UN system. As such, these
regimes will be considered in the following section.
From the above, it can be surmised that the UN and its related organizations have
contributed significantly to the overall development of the international law of the
sea. Nevertheless, a substantial part of agenda setting, implementation and execution
are carried out by bodies that fall outside the UN family. This will be
considered next.
32 Tanaka (2015a), p. 36.
33 World Heritage Convention and UNESCO (2018).
34 Harden-Davies (2016), p. 261; Rothwell and Stephens (2016), pp. 573–574.
35 Ivanova (2007).
36 UNEP (2018).
44
P. A. Singh