Politics of Ocean Governance

Catalog description

Governing the oceans is one of the most important challenges in the 21st century. 90 percent of world trade is carried by sea, and three billion people rely on the “blue economy” for their livelihoods, the vast majority in developing countries. The oceans are also crucial for global biodiversity and to sustain the world’s ecosystem. Yet marine systems are increasingly threatened by human activities. Ocean health has declined rapidly in recent years due to pollution, overfishing, and climate change, while piracy and great power competition threaten trade and undermine the “Blue Economy”. This course investigates the global ocean governance architecture. The course 1) provides an overview of economic, security, and environmental challenges at sea, 2) maps the actors affected by these problems, and 3) analyzes the institutions that they have created to govern maritime problems.