There are legitimate concerns regarding our current understanding of the marine environ- ment, including the unique and largely undocumented ecosystems that inhabit the seabed. There are potential environmental effects associated with resource development, from ex- ploration through extraction, processing and transport, resulting in challenging and com- plex environmental management issues. The resource industry is often steps ahead of planning guidelines or legislation in their bid to create revenue for the future.
According to UNCLOS, States have the sovereign right to exploit their natural resources20, and also have a gen- eral obligation to protect and preserve the marine environ- ment21. The UNCLOS rules oblige the States to prevent, reduce and control pollution and develop ways to manage, protect and preserve the marine environment22. Impor- tantly, UNCLOS also requires that developing States are offered wide-ranging assistance in order to manage their marine environment and participate in the global debate on the use of the oceans.
The need to delineate the outer limits of the continental shelf has been a major driver for research on the continental margin. For many States this has resulted in the first compi- lation of marine scientific data, a valuable resource that can be used in the development of ocean management strate- gies and plans. Many States, including small island devel- oping States have jurisdiction over enormous areas which include unique and vulnerable marine ecosystems. There is a need to safeguard biodiversity in these areas, while managing the issues related to resource development. The Convention does not necessarily provide solutions to all management challenges that might arise in the future, but it does offer a sound framework for addressing them.
The Last Maritime Zone 25
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