Débattre des changements climatiques au Conseil de sécurité : pour quoi faire ?
1. Introduction Qu’il existe une dimension sécuritaire liée aux changements climatiques ne fait plus aucun doute. La potentielle disparation de larges portions de territoires en raison de l’élévation du niveau de la mer, avec tout ce que cela engendre, en particulier en termes de mouvements migratoires, n’est qu’une des manifestations de la menace à la...
Sinking States: The statehood dilemma in the face of sea-level rise
1. Introduction Despite the lack of legal sources providing a definition of ‘State’ in international law, ‘territory’ has always been recognized as an essential component of statehood alongside two other elements, namely ‘permanent population’ and ‘government’.[1] Traditionally, ‘territory’ is referred to as a natural segment of the Earth’s surface; its size is irrelevant. As a...
The impact of sea-level rise on baselines: A question of interpretation of the UNCLOS or evolution of customary law?
1. Introduction In the framework of the broader question of the adverse impact of sea-level rise (hereinafter: SLR) on low-lying coastal and archipelagic States, the specific question of the effects on baselines has been receiving increasing attention in the international debate. The question is whether, once a State has determined its baselines by a legislative...
The implications of sea-level rise for international law
Introduced by Maura Marchegiani* The question concerning the effects, implications, and repercussions of the phenomenon of sea level rise, as well as its possible and potential legal consequences, has been at the heart of political, legal, and institutional debates, becoming the subject of several statements by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and...
Algerian exclusive economic zone proclamation – French perspectives
1. Introduction Contrary to both Italy and Spain, France did not officially react to the proclamation by Algeria of her Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Mediterranean Sea following the adoption of Presidential Decree No. 18-96 of 20 March 2018. France neither addressed an official communication to the Secretary-General of the UN protesting against the...
The Italian exclusive economic zone
‘Che vi sia, ciascun lo dice; dove sia, nessun lo sa’ (Metastasio, Demetrio, act II, scene III, 1731) 1. A step forward? It seems that, as a consequence of Law No 91 of 14 July 2021,[1] the process towards the establishment of an Italian exclusive economic zone[2] has taken a step forward. If it...
A Spanish perspective on Algeria’s establishment of an exclusive economic zone
1. Introductory considerations On 20 March 2018, Algeria established an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off its coast by means of Presidential Decree No 18-96.[1] On 17 April of the same year, it deposited a list of the geographical coordinates of the points marking the outer limits of its new maritime zone with the Secretary-General of...
La zone économique exclusive algérienne: des enjeux énergétiques et environnementaux aux risques de différends maritimes?
1. Introduction Le 20 mars 2018, à travers le décret présidentiel 18-96[1], l’Algérie instituait enfin, osons le dire, à l’instar d’autres pays méditerranéens, une zone économique exclusive (ZEE), « création la plus spectaculaire du nouveau droit de la mer »[2]. En effet, la grande majorité des Etats riverains de la partie nord-ouest de la mer...
From EEZ-phobia to EEZ-mania? The Algerian exclusive economic zone and its consequences
Introduced by Béatrice Bonafé and Marco Pertile The delimitation of maritime areas in the Mediterranean has been recently at the centre of a lively debate among the scholars of international law and international relations. Their attention has mainly focussed on the central-eastern quadrant of that semi-enclosed sea and on the resurgence of the Greek-Turkish...
Litigating global crises: What role for international courts and tribu-nals in the management of climate change, mass migration and pan-demics? / Zoom Out
Le rôle des Cours européenne et interaméricaine des droits de l’homme face à l’enjeu migratoire
1. Introduction Ce numéro spécial nous invite à réfléchir sur le rôle joué par les juridictions internationales dans le cadre de problématiques présentant des enjeux globaux. Notre contribution traitera du phénomène migratoire. à compter du XXe siècle, il est considéré par la plupart des Etats occidentaux comme un problème à gérer,[1] nécessitant une action multilatérale.[2]...
Litigating global crises: What role for international courts and tribu-nals in the management of climate change, mass migration and pan-demics? / Zoom Out
The role of interstate adjudication in public health emergencies: Incompatible at the core
1. Introduction Although there has been binding international law in the field since 1893,[1] there has never been any instance of interstate international adjudication directly related to the cross-border spread of disease.[2] While the COVID-19 pandemic is currently the focus of attention in this regard, the dearth of case law derives from deep-seated structural issues...
Litigating global crises: What role for international courts and tribu-nals in the management of climate change, mass migration and pan-demics? / Zoom Out
A quand un contentieux interétatique sur les changements climatiques ?
1. Introduction Les années passant, la fenêtre d’action permettant d’éviter que les changements climatiques d’origine anthropique fassent sortir la planète d’un ‘espace de fonctionnement sécurisé’[1] se referme peu à peu. Si nombreux sont les Etats à s’engager à atteindre la neutralité carbone en 2045, 2050 ou 2060, peu ont aujourd’hui des trajectoires d’émissions compatibles avec...
