8 - sovereignty of ocean resources

Question 1

what are the ocean floor abiotic resources

Answer 1

• iron, copper, zinc, gold
• manganese nodules
• cobalt crusts

Question 2

what importance are iron, gold, zinc and copper

Answer 2

• These minerals are present in sulfur-rich mud and ores found near ocean-floor black smokers (hydrothermal vents) at submarine plate boundaries.
• Along the East Pacific Rise and Mid-Atlantic Ridge, black smokers produce iron-rich sulphides.
• Copper, zinc and gold can be found in the southwest Pacific Ocean.

Question 3

what is the importance of manganese nodules

Answer 3

• Manganese nodules are dense lumps of manganese, iron, silicates and hydroxides, ranging from golf ball to tennis ball size.
• They grow by just 2mm every 1 million years as a result of chemical reactions occurring in seawater.
• In the eastern Pacific Ocean, manganese nodules cover an area of sea floor the size of Europe.
• Their concentration here is linked with hydrothermal activity at the East Pacific Rise.

Question 4

what is the importance of cobalt crusts

Answer 4

• Cobalt crusts form at depths of around 1-3km on the flanks of submarine volcanoes in tectonically active regions such as the South Pacific. - Cobalt is found on land in only a few countries.
• This means that oceanic cobalt is potentially valuable if it can be recovered.

Question 5

explain commercial interest in the oceans

Answer 5

• Whilst deep sea resources may be available to any nation or company with the relevant technology it is currently rarely profitable to retrieve and utilise deep sea resources.
• Between 204-2016 economic growth slowed and falling demand from China has reduced the profitability of ocean floor mineral recovery

Question 6

what is the ISA

Answer 6

• Since 1994 the International Seabed Authority has helped map the legal right of states to use the ocean floor resources beyond their own EEZ.
• Some nations with a large continental shelf, e.g. Argentina and Canada have argued that it should be recognised as an extension of their terrestrial territory.
• The ISA has allowed these nations the possibility of establishing a boundary beyond the EEZ up to a distance of 350 from the shoreline.

Question 7

what is happening in the Arctic

Answer 7

• Tensions have arisen in recent years over the governance of Arctic Ocean resources.
• Competing claims have been made by; Canada, Russia, USA, Denmark, Iceland and Norway!
• In 2007 Russia used a submarine to place a flag on the seabed below the N.Pole.
  This was seen as geopolitical aggressive act.

Question 8

what is the impact of landlocked countries and societies

Answer 8

• Of the 15 lowest ranked countries by HDI, 8 have no coast and landlocked nations in Africa have GDP 40% lower than their coastal neighbours
• Trade is limited by a lack of ports
• Historic benefits of the flow of migrants, culture and technology has bypassed landlocked countries

Question 9

what is considered very important when assessing global governance of the oceans

Answer 9

• In the modern globalised world trade agreements are more important than access to the ocean, for example Switzerland is a HIC and a major financial centre with the headquarters of several TNCs such as UBS.
• Botswana exports diamonds to Europe and the USA by air and is a middle income nation.