Ocean-based climate action and human rights implications under the international climate change regime

Morgera, Elisa and Lennan, Mitchell and Kulovesi, Kati and La Bianca, Giulia and Niner, Holly J. and Harrould-Kolieb, Ellycia and Recio Piva, Eugenia and Hills, Jeremy and Ntona, Mara and Lancaster, Alana Malinde SN and Strand, Mia and Snow, Bernadette and Erwin, Kira and Shannon, Lynne and Rees, Sian and Hyder, Kieran and Engelhard, Georg and Howell, Kerry (2023) Ocean-based climate action and human rights implications under the international climate change regime. The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law, 38 (3). pp. 411-446. ISSN 1571-8085 (https://doi.org/10.1163/15718085-bja10142)

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Abstract

After drawing attention to the crucial role of marine biodiversity, including that of deep-sea ecosystems, in current scientific understanding of the ocean-climate nexus, this article highlights the limited extent to which the international climate change regime has so far addressed the ocean. The focus then shifts to how the international climate change regime could contribute to the protection of marine biodiversity as part of mitigation, adaptation and finance, taking into account human rights impacts and standards, drawing a comparison with REDD+. The article concludes with an original proposal, inspired by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, to develop urgent, synergistic approaches to ocean- and human rights-based climate action through a multi-actor coalition, including different international treaties and United Nations bodies, to ‘protect and restore the ocean’s contributions to climate regulation, human well-being and planetary health’.

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