State Responsibility for Marine Pollution from Seabed Activities within National Jurisdiction in the Marine Arctic

Abstract

Since the Arctic is increasingly accessible owing to climate change, oil and gas exploitation in the marine Arctic attracts the attention of states and energy companies. However, the marine Arctic, and particularly West Greenland, is known to be particularly vulnerable to oil spills because of the potentially slow recovery from a spill in cold and seasonable ecosystems. Oil spills in marine spaces surrounding Greenland may significantly damage fishing which is one of the essential economic resources in Greenland and greatly affect the health of people living there. Furthermore, clean-up operations in the marine Arctic will encounter considerable challenges in light of the remoteness and harsh weather conditions. Hence, the prevention of marine pollution arising from seabed activities within national jurisdiction should be an important issue in the international law governing the marine Arctic.