Journal of Science Policy & Governance
Volume 20, Issue 03 | August 22, 2022

Paper Competition First Place Winner
Policy Memo: Rising Seas and Uncertainties: Establishing Static Maritime Borders to Ensure Equity in the Face of Sea Level Rise

Lauren Wagner (1), Ka Man Jasmine Yu (2), Fiona B. Dunn (3) 
  1. University of California Los Angeles, Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  2. Texas A&M University, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, College Station, Texas, United States
  3. New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, Brooklyn, New York, United States
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​Corresponding author: [email protected]​
Keywords: ocean diplomacy; sea level rise; maritime boundaries; climate change; equity; SIDS; UNCLOS
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG200307​

Executive Summary

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted in 1994, establishes international maritime boundaries that are measured from the “normal baseline” where the ocean meets the coast. However, UNCLOS does not account for changes in the normal baseline that are expected to occur as a result of climate change-induced sea level rise. These uncertainties leave room for maritime territorial disputes that threaten the political and economic resources of small island developing states (SIDS) and developing coastal nations. Here, we discuss the impacts of sea level rise on maritime boundaries with a focus on equity for SIDS and developing coastal nations. These nations, though they contribute the least to climate change, experience its effects most drastically and are the least equipped to adapt. To safeguard against the inequities that are expected to result from rising sea levels, we recommend a science-informed, diplomatic effort to address this issue: that the International Maritime Organization introduce an international convention to establish static maritime baselines. This approach would freeze maritime boundaries, allowing all island and coastal nations to retain their existing oceanic zones and entitlements. Establishing a static baselines promises to mitigate the disproportionate effects of climate change on SIDS and represents a necessary step in the push for international equity in the face of climate change.

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Background header image courtesy of  Climate State
Lauren Wagner is a Ph.D. candidate studying Neuroscience at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and behavior to understand the neural underpinnings of typical and atypical language development. She is actively involved in the National Science Policy Network and the Science Policy Group at UCLA, where she enjoys researching issues in science policy/diplomacy, organizing career development opportunities for her peers, and connecting with legislators to advocate for the use of science in policy making. Lauren received her bachelor’s degrees in Neuroscience and Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin.​

Ka Man Jasmine Yu is a Ph.D. candidate studying Biochemistry at Texas A&M University, where she studys the genes and pathways responsible for growth and development in energy Sorghum, a promising biofuel crop. Her research aims to improve biomass accumulation and conversion efficiency from plant biomass to fuel. She is the president of Texas A&M’s science policy group: Aggies in Science Technology and Engineering and is actively involved in the National Science Policy Network’s DEI committee. Jasmine’s policy interests include environmental justice, sustainable agriculture and water conservation. Jasmine received her bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley.

Fiona B. Dunn is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Engineering at New York University where she studies the decay of antibiotic resistance genes in the water environment. Fiona’s research interests include water treatment and the detection and control of waterborne pathogens. She is interested in connecting her research to policy to protect public and environmental health. She is an active member of the National Science Policy Network Science Diplomacy Committee. She is a United States National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. Fiona holds an MS in Environmental Engineering from NYU and a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Manhattan College.

Acknowledgements
The authors thank Melissa Abderrahim, Laura Chavez Anderson, Opeoluwa Oyewole, and Meredith Ward for their valuable feedback on the manuscript, and the other members of the National Science Policy Network Science Diplomacy Committee for the vibrant and supportive environment that led to its inception.

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