Publication

This paper examines the process dealing with overlapping state claims to territory in the Arctic Ocean region, particularly those that take continental shelves into consideration. More specifically, the authors discuss 1) the history of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the internationally recognized legal framework that addresses claims that take continental shelves into consideration; 2) whether UNCLOS is working as intended in the Arctic; 3) why the delimitation of continental shelves is likely to proceed in an orderly manner despite overlapping claims; 4) why these overlapping claims are not expected to lead to significant international tensions between the Arctic coastal states; and 5) potential political developments that could challenge the adherence to UNCLOS in the Arctic.