Lords Committee take evidence on Arctic defence and law of the sea
22 July 2014
On Tuesday 22 July the House of Lords Committee on the Arctic takes evidence on Arctic security, defence and international relations, followed by a session on the law of the sea and maritime boundaries in the Arctic Ocean.
The Committee will take evidence in two sessions on Tuesday 22 July in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.
Witnesses
At 10:40am:
- Christian Le Mière, Senior Fellow for Naval Forces and Maritime Study, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
- Dr Jeffrey Mazo, Consulting Senior Fellow for Environmental Security and Science Policy, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
At approximately 11:40am:
- Professor Robin Churchill, University of Dundee
- Professor Maurice Mendelson QC, Blackstone Chambers
- Professor Philip Steinberg, Centre for Borders Research, University of Durham
Areas of discussion
With the first set of witnesses the questions will focus on international relations within and around the Arctic region, and the possible impact on security of the increasing accessibility of the Arctic. The Committee will also consider whether recent events in Crimea and Ukraine have impacted on cooperation in the Arctic.
The second session will cover the operation of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), how disputes relating to the law of the sea are typically settled in an area such as the Arctic Ocean, what impact the failure of the United States to ratify UNCLOS has and to what extent UNCLOS helps avoid disputes over maritime boundaries and the exploitation of resources in the Arctic.