The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea at 40: Successes, Challenges, and the Role of the U.S. in Implementation

On Tuesday, April 2 at 9:30 am ET, the Ocean Diplomacy Working Group and the Rethinking Diplomacy Program are hosting a webinar with David Balton and David Freestone on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS, adopted in 1982 and entered into force in 1994, serves as a constitution for the oceans. It includes guidelines for states' navigational rights, maritime zones and boundaries, and procedures for maritime related disputes on the high seas. The United States recognizes UNCLOS as customary international law, but it has never acceded to the treaty. David Balton and David Freestone bring decades of experience negotiating implementing agreements under UNCLOS and other maritime related treaties, and they will bring rich insight into the history of UNCLOS, challenges in implementation, and the potential of the U.S. ratifying the treaty in the future. In addition, Dr. John Virdin of Duke University will be moderating the webinar. Please join us for in incredibly informative meeting with two of the world's leading ocean diplomacy scholars and practitioners. The event is being organized by Brianna Elliott, a PhD student in Marine Science and Conservation.