General Notes For Mock Flashcards
What are supranational institutions
Organisations that share decision making and influence over its member states regarding national boundaries
United Nations ( UN )
Maintain peace and security upholding international law
Protecting human rights
Providing humanitarian aid
Promoting sustainable development
What is UNESCO
Structural role
Protect environment including oceans
Promotes cooperation and coordinates marine research effectively managing ocean resources
What Is EU Structural role
Political economic union of European states
Marine framework aims to protect the marine environment in Europe
What is G8/G7 Structural role
Intergovernmental political forum made up of USA, UM, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Canada and Russia
The exclusion of Russia in 2014 created G7
Members meet annually to discuss economic policies
In 2017 G7 made oceans priority to protect and conserve resources
What is the structural role of G20
Replacing G8 as main economic forum of wealthy nations
Developed action plan in 2017 to reduce plastic and waste in oceans
What is G 77 structure / role
Committed to supporting UNs goal of conservation
What is NATO Structure and role
Military alliance between 29 North American and European countries
Plays role in maritime security, tackling piracy in the Indian Ocean for example
UNCLOS
United Nations convection on the law of the sea
168 countries have signed
Some landlocked countries won’t sign
Defined the rights and jurisdiction countries have over different parts of the ocean by establishing sea limits
UNCLOS - territorial waters
Country has complete control of activity
UNCLOS - contagious zone
Country has sovereignty and legal rights e.g customs and rules governing
UNCLOS - exclusive economic zone ( EEZ )
Or
Exclusive fishing zone
Country has rights to control sea bed and water resources but sharing allowed in some situations
All countries have rights to sail or fly over the area
European region more complex with issues surrounding fishing unresolved
UNCLOS - high seas
Outside area of legal rights of angle country
Certain international laws apply
UN’s sustainability agreements
Preventing and reducing pollution
Sustainability managing marine ecosystems
Ending overfishing
EU marine directive
Each member state required to develop a strategy for its marine waters that Is renewed every 6 years
What are chokepoints
Narrow channels along widely used global sea routes
Example Suez Canal between red and Mediterranean seas 5.5 million barrels of oil transported through per day in 2016
Reduces travelling time from east Europe to America
Impacts of blocking choke points
Oil prices rise due to lower supply rate
Leaves tankers vulnerable to attacks or theft
Increasing the risk of shipping accidents and oil spills
Hotspots for piracy
Coast of Somalia and Indian Ocean
Economic costs of Somalian pirates ?
$7 billion in 2010 reduced to $1.7 billion by 2016
Trend facts about trade at sea
90% of trade is carried by sea
Growth in trade resulting from globalisation led to 400% increase in number of ships at sea since 1990s
Developing countries account for 59% of exports and 64% of imports
Oil shopping makes up for 30% of maritime trade
Ships are allowed to pass through territorial waters under what UNCLOS law?
Right to peaceful passage
Sea floor cable networks
Increase in technology required a demand for data
Distribution of sea floor cables shows inequalities between continents reflecting population size and access to digital technology
SEA - ME - WE 5 cable is 20,000 km and links south east Asia with Middle East and Western Europe
Google and Microsoft are major investors in new cables
Risks of seafloor cables
Earthquakes can Create undersea landslides which can damage cables, slowing data traffic and costly to repair
Tsunamis- due to Sea bed erosion and landslides caused by tsunamis
Meteorological events storm surges rainfall and tropical storms can damage cables close to the shore
Current abrasion - 6% of faults are caused by water movements scraping cables against rocks
Fishing and anchors - caused by trawler nets and anchors dragging on seabed catching on cables
International cable cut - sabotage is rare due to difficulties accessing cables but can happen e.g 3 men tried cutting cable in Egypt which resulted in 60% drop in internet speeds
UNCLOS law to protect seabed cables
No fishing or anchoring zones near cables
Cable owners are allowed to use radar tracking monitors ship movements and can earn ships too close to their cables
Geopolitical tensions and contested ownership of EEZs
If overlap causing countries to disagree
China claimed Island groups including man made islands
Gives China access t more possible resources and control over oil transport routes
Surrounding countries especially the Philippians contest the claims
78 countries want to extend their rights to the continental shelf
What is the continental shelf
The continental shelf is a broad relatively shallow gently sloping section of seabed which is part of the continental crust
Landlocked countries facts about trade with oceans
Have a right to access oceans through other countries but can be difficult
Goods can be delayed on border crossings e.g in Uganda where it takes ) days longer than domestic goods to leave ya Zia’s fat es salaam port
Difficulties in trade can leave to slower economic growth ( 16 landlocked countries are the poorest in the world )
What are the global commons ?
Global scale natural assets that are outside jurisdiction of any nation they include the high seas atmosphere Antarctica and outer space
What is over-exploitation?
Involves harvesting species from the wild at a rate faster than the natural population can recover
