The 1982 UN Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC) and the Protection and Preservation of Marine Environment

Under LOSC provisions, all problems about marine environment are considered as a whole. The aim is to protect and preserve marine environment efficiently. The convention safeguards the whole marine environment under one instrument. Since its inception in 1994, LOSC has gained universal recognition as its requirements reflect customary laws.

Jurisdictional Regime and Protection of Marine Environment

The jurisdictional regime encompasses a framework used to control human activities about the marine environment. In this framework, states are given specific rights and duties to safeguard the marine environment in different zones. The legal instrument designates some areas as Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). In addition, it requires existing international laws to be exercised in every maritime zone (Frank, 2007).

World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and Protection of Marine Environment

The summit was held in 2002 in Johannesburg. It was meant to evaluate the progress of the implementation of agenda 21. The agenda involved the protection of marine environment under international laws. The summit was useful as it recommended the strengthening of international associations at the regional and international levels. In 2003, the WSSD initiated a multiyear program that saw the advancement of agenda 21 (Frank, 2007).