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Statehood and Climate Change-Induced Sea Level Rise

Langborg, Oskar LU (2019) JURM02 20192
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
This thesis explores the relation between climate change-induced sea level rise and the concept of statehood. The law on statehood is challenged in unprecedented ways as previously unthinkable scenarios become increasingly plausible. The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether or not low-lying small island developing states will lose their statehood if they are completely submerged by the sea as it continues to rise.

Essential to this undertaking has been to examine how statehood can
be attained, and more importantly, retained. Statehood is derived from the Montevideo Convention, in which the concept of statehood is codified. In addition to this convention, other essential legal instruments and treaties include the Law on the Sea,... (More)
This thesis explores the relation between climate change-induced sea level rise and the concept of statehood. The law on statehood is challenged in unprecedented ways as previously unthinkable scenarios become increasingly plausible. The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether or not low-lying small island developing states will lose their statehood if they are completely submerged by the sea as it continues to rise.

Essential to this undertaking has been to examine how statehood can
be attained, and more importantly, retained. Statehood is derived from the Montevideo Convention, in which the concept of statehood is codified. In addition to this convention, other essential legal instruments and treaties include the Law on the Sea, The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The work also encompasses exploring legal concepts and theories of relevance to the overall purpose of the thesis.

The phenomenon of climate change, including global warming, is
rudimentary covered. There is no doubt that anthropogenic greenhouse gas
emissions are driving global warming, which by extension is responsible for a considerable part of the current and accelerated sea level rise.

There is no clear answer to the question at hand, and although multiple suggestions on how to retain statehood for small island developing states have been thoroughly explored, the reality is that the future of the affected states depends to a great extent on the international community as a whole. There are legal arguments to be made, ranging from the concept of peremptory norms and alternative interpretations of the explicit language in the Montevideo Convention, to the idea of new legal subjects and the potential of freezing the current baselines as they stand today. Ultimately, however, small island developing states are highly dependent on the rest of the world for their continued existence. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Den här uppsatsen undersöker sambandet mellan klimatförändringar,
havsnivåhöjning och egenskapen att vara en stat (eng. statehood).
Internationell rätt beträffande det juridiska subjektet stat utmanas och
ifrågasätts på helt nya sätt i och med att tidigare fullkomligt otänkbara
scenarier förefaller mer och mer sannolika, på grund av havsnivåhöjningar. Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka om små ö-nationer, som riskerar att helt uppslukas av den stigande havsnivån, kommer att upphöra att vara stater i folkrättslig mening. Det vill säga upphöra att vara en stat som en form av rättssubjekt.

Grundläggande för detta arbete har varit att undersöka hur en stat blir
till, och hur denna status bibehålls. Detta görs med utgångspunkten i
... (More)
Den här uppsatsen undersöker sambandet mellan klimatförändringar,
havsnivåhöjning och egenskapen att vara en stat (eng. statehood).
Internationell rätt beträffande det juridiska subjektet stat utmanas och
ifrågasätts på helt nya sätt i och med att tidigare fullkomligt otänkbara
scenarier förefaller mer och mer sannolika, på grund av havsnivåhöjningar. Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka om små ö-nationer, som riskerar att helt uppslukas av den stigande havsnivån, kommer att upphöra att vara stater i folkrättslig mening. Det vill säga upphöra att vara en stat som en form av rättssubjekt.

Grundläggande för detta arbete har varit att undersöka hur en stat blir
till, och hur denna status bibehålls. Detta görs med utgångspunkten i
Montevideo-konventionen, men även andra viktiga traktat så som UNCLOS,
UNFCCC och Parisavtalet redogörs för. Uppsatsen tittar även på juridiska
koncept och teorier av relevans, i enlighet med uppsatsens huvudsyfte.

Fenomenet klimatförändringar, inklusive global uppvärmning,
redogörs översiktligt för. Det råder inga tvivel om att utsläpp av
växthusgaser orsakade av människan är en av de starkast bidragande
faktorerna till global uppvärmning, vilket i förlängningen ligger bakom en betydande del av den havsnivåhöjning som pågår.

Det finns inget entydigt svar på frågan i fokus. Även om flertalet
förslag till lösningar på hur små ö-nationer ska kunna fortsätta att vara stater har utforskats, så är verkligheten att deras framtid hänger mycket på hur världssamfundet och världen i stort hanterar frågan. Argument till stöd för ö-nationernas fortsatta överlevnad inkluderar tvingande internationella rättsprinciper, alternativa tolkningar av Montevideo-konventionen, en ny kategori av internationella juridiska subjekt samt att frysa nuvarande havsrättsliga baslinjer. I slutändan är dock de mest utsatta ö-nationerna beroende av den resterande världen för sin fortsatta existens. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Langborg, Oskar LU
supervisor
organization
course
JURM02 20192
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
public international law
language
English
id
9005085
date added to LUP
2020-05-25 14:19:22
date last changed
2020-05-25 14:19:22
@misc{9005085,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores the relation between climate change-induced sea level rise and the concept of statehood. The law on statehood is challenged in unprecedented ways as previously unthinkable scenarios become increasingly plausible. The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether or not low-lying small island developing states will lose their statehood if they are completely submerged by the sea as it continues to rise.

Essential to this undertaking has been to examine how statehood can
be attained, and more importantly, retained. Statehood is derived from the Montevideo Convention, in which the concept of statehood is codified. In addition to this convention, other essential legal instruments and treaties include the Law on the Sea, The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The work also encompasses exploring legal concepts and theories of relevance to the overall purpose of the thesis.

The phenomenon of climate change, including global warming, is
rudimentary covered. There is no doubt that anthropogenic greenhouse gas
emissions are driving global warming, which by extension is responsible for a considerable part of the current and accelerated sea level rise.

There is no clear answer to the question at hand, and although multiple suggestions on how to retain statehood for small island developing states have been thoroughly explored, the reality is that the future of the affected states depends to a great extent on the international community as a whole. There are legal arguments to be made, ranging from the concept of peremptory norms and alternative interpretations of the explicit language in the Montevideo Convention, to the idea of new legal subjects and the potential of freezing the current baselines as they stand today. Ultimately, however, small island developing states are highly dependent on the rest of the world for their continued existence.}},
  author       = {{Langborg, Oskar}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Statehood and Climate Change-Induced Sea Level Rise}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}