The “scramble” for the Arctic – protection of the marine mammals (Increasing activity, increasing noise, increasing threats – legal regulation) - LLM in Natural Resources and International Environmental Law - Eva Balounová Faculty of Law School of Social Sciences Pétur Dam Leifsson May 2014 HÁSKÓLI ÍSLANDS 1 Table of Contents Prologue ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 1.1 The Arctic ......................................................................................................................... 6 2 The legal regime of the Arctic – the legal instruments ........................................................... 7 2.1 The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea ...................................................................... 8 2.1.1 Ratification by the Arctic States ................................................................................ 9 2.1.2 Applicability to the Arctic region ............................................................................ 10 2.1.3 Protection and preservation of the marine environment .......................................... 11 2.1.4 Article 234 ............................................................................................................... 12 2.2 Regional agreements in respect with LOS Convention .................................................. 12 2.2.1 Ilulissat Declaration ................................................................................................. 13 2.2.2 Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution, Preparedness and Response in the Arctic ........................................................................................................................... 14 2.3 The role of the institutions .............................................................................................. 14 2.3.1 The Arctic Council ................................................................................................... 15 2.3.2 Other cooperation ..................................................................................................... 16 2.4 The Arctic Policy of the Arctic States ............................................................................ 19 2.4.1 The Russian Federation ............................................................................................ 19 2.4.2 The USA .................................................................................................................. 21 2.4.3 Canada ...................................................................................................................... 22 2.4.4 Norway ..................................................................................................................... 23 2.4.5 Denmark/Greenland ................................................................................................. 23 2.4.6 Iceland ...................................................................................................................... 25 2.4.7 Finland and Sweden ................................................................................................. 27 2.4.8 European Union ....................................................................................................... 28 2.4.9 Chinese influence ..................................................................................................... 28 3 The Continental Shelf ............................................................................................................ 30 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 30 3.2 Claims of the States ........................................................................................................ 33 3.2.1 The position of the USA .......................................................................................... 38 3.3 The controversy .............................................................................................................. 39 2 3.3.1 The Lomonosov Ridge ............................................................................................. 39 3.3.2 Hans Island ............................................................................................................... 42 3.4 The process: “from claim to a right” .............................................................................. 45 3.4.1 Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf ................................................ 45 4 Oil and gas drilling ................................................................................................................ 49 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 49 4.2 The major challenges of development of the resources ................................................. 50 4.2.1 The environmental danger of Arctic drilling ........................................................... 50 4.3 International and regional regulation .............................................................................. 53 4.4 The USA – example of the national legislation .............................................................. 53 4.5 Impacts of Offshore Oil and Gas development on the marine mammals ....................... 55 5 Arctic shipping ...................................................................................................................... 58 5.1 The possible routes ......................................................................................................... 59 5.2 Legal regulation .............................................................................................................. 63 5.2.1 A Polar Code ............................................................................................................ 63 5.2.2 Russia – example of current national regulation ...................................................... 64 5.3 Underwater noise pollution from shipping ..................................................................... 65 5.3.1 The threat for marine mammals ............................................................................... 68 6 Legal protection of marine mammals in the Arctic ............................................................... 69 6.1 Marine mammals in the Arctic and the threads from underwater noise pollution ......... 69 6.1.1 Sound, noise ............................................................................................................. 71 6.2 Protection of marine mammals – legal regulation .......................................................... 74 6.2.1 Protection through protected areas ........................................................................... 76 6.3 Particular marine mammals and its protection ............................................................... 78 6.3.1 Whales and Whaling ................................................................................................ 78 6.3.2 Walruses ................................................................................................................... 84 6.3.3 Seals ......................................................................................................................... 85 6.3.4 Polar Bear ................................................................................................................. 86 6.4 The legal regulation of the underwater noise, impact on marine mammals ................... 88 6.4.1 United Nations and the noise pollution .................................................................... 89 6.4.2 Noise pollution under other cooperation .................................................................. 91 6.4.3 Protection through the environmental principles ..................................................... 93 6.4.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 95 3 7 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 96 7.1 The present situation ....................................................................................................... 96 7.2 The possible future ......................................................................................................... 96 7.3 Reduction of the impact of ice-free Arctic on marine mammals ................................... 99 Table of treaties, cases and other documents ......................................................................... 103 References .............................................................................................................................. 104 Books .............................................................................................................................. 104 Articles ............................................................................................................................ 104 Internet sources ............................................................................................................... 108 4 Prologue When I was visiting Iceland for the first time, I tried the very popular touristic activity – whale-watching. It