International Seabed Authority (ISA) : 29th Session
The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) commenced the first part of its 29th session recently.
- International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an autonomous international organization established in 1994 to regulate mining and related activities in the international seabed beyond national jurisdiction, an area that includes most of the world’s oceans.
- The ISA came into existence upon the entry into force of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which codified international law regarding territorial waters, sea lanes, and ocean resources.
- It organizes and controls all mineral-resources-related activities in the Area (the seabed and ocean floor and the subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction) for the benefit of humankind as a whole.
- Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica
- ISA has 169 Members, including 168 Member States and the European Union.
- The ISA is responsible for granting licenses and regulating activities related to the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in the international seabed.
- It ensures that these activities are carried out in a manner that protects the marine environment and promotes the equitable and efficient utilization of resources.
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS):
- UNCLOS, also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty, is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities.
- It lays down a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world’s oceans and seas, establishing rules governing all uses of the oceans and their resources.
