What is the scope of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea?

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an international agreement that establishes the rules and regulations for the use of the world’s oceans and seas. The scope of UNCLOS covers a wide variety of topics. Firstly, UNCLOS seeks to protect and preserve the marine environment. It creates rules that forbid the dumping of nuclear waste and other hazardous materials into the ocean and sets limitations on the amount of pollution that can be generated. Secondly, UNCLOS establishes the rights and responsibilities of member nations with regards to their territorial waters. Under UNCLOS, coastal nations are granted exclusive economic zones of 200 nautical miles from their coastlines, as well as a 12-nautical mile territorial sea. Thirdly, UNCLOS restricts the rights of passage and overflight of other nations in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones. States can refuse to allow vessels to pass through the zone unless a specific agreement is in place. Fourthly, UNCLOS allows vessels from other states to access the coastal state’s ports and communicate with their ports-of-call. Finally, UNCLOS provides a framework for the settlement of disputes and offers mechanisms for the adjudication of disputes. In Tennessee, the scope of UNCLOS applies to all maritime activities within the 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone. It requires ships to abide by agreed upon regulations and encourages peaceful resolution of disputes.

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What is the scope of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea?

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