Publication: International Law Aspects of Sea Level Rise
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2023-11-08
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2023-11-08
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In the coming decades, sea level rise will increasingly raise an array of legal challenges concerning coastal States, and in particular, low-lying Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This report assesses how States could safeguard their existing territorial rights and marine resources under international law when dealing with rising seas and land loss as well as questions relating to statehood, human mobility, and international cooperation. The report builds on a previous World Bank publication from June 2021, "Legal Dimensions of Sea Level Rise: Pacific Perspectives", but focuses on global perspectives by linking scientific data with the latest legal thinking.
The study is divided into three parts. Part I looks briefly at the pioneering work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and its most recent predictions for sea level rise during the current century, and then sets it in the context of other scientific work on threats from sea level rise and warming. Part II sets out an overview of relevant legal frameworks, key terminology, and principles based on international law, as well as judicial decisions and scholarly work that define the rights, resources, and obligations of all coastal States, particularly island and low-lying States. Part III then presents a series of responses to key legal and policy questions faced by these States in relation to sea level rise.
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“Freestone, David; Çiçek, Duygu. 2023. International Law Aspects of Sea Level Rise. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/40584 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
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