Une contribution en anglais de Géraldine Giraudeau sur le devenir des frontières maritimes avec le réchauffement climatique et la submersion d’îlots, d’îles, voire de pays. Une problématique qui contribue à l’évolution du droit de la mer.

Géraldine Giraudeau est professeur de droit public, membre associé du LARJE et en accueil à l’université de Waikaito (New Zealand).

On August 6, 2021, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) members published a « Declaration on preserving maritime zones in the face of climate change-related sea-level rise. » This is not the first time Pacific island states and territories have explicitly supported the preservation of their maritime entitlements in the face of the effects of climate change. It is, however, the first regional statement entirely dedicated to this complex legal issue, and it provides a detailed commitment on interpretation and development of the law of the sea regarding sea-level rise. The International Law Commission (ILC) Study group on sea-level rise in relation to international law has already identified a body of state practice, and the PIF Declaration could constitute a significant element in the progressive recognition of a regional—or even general—customary rule on preservation of maritime zones. The PIF Declaration also highlights that Pacific island states and territories are not only at the frontline of climate change consequences, they are also actively contributing to the emergence of legal solutions. This Insight examines the context of this declaration and assesses the role it could play in the guarantee of states’ jurisdictions on maritime spaces in the face of climate change.

Vous pouvez retrouver le lien vers la publication du 19 octobre 2021 à l’American Society of International Law, ici : https://www.asil.org/insights/volume/25/issue/23