Untouchable metals: How the obligations of UNCLOS States Parties limit the commercial viability of unilateral deep sea mining

Reflecting an extraordinary and unprecedented act of multilateralism, Part XI of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (‘UNCLOS’) protects the mineral resources of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction (‘the Area’) from a global free-for-all. It declares the Area and its resources as “the common heritage of [hu]mankind” (‘CHM’) and provides that the […]Read More