Part II Individual Issues and Cross-Cutting Themes: Climate Change and Global Ocean Governance, 7 The Role of the International Climate Change Regime in Global Ocean Governance

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of the international climate change regime in global ocean governance, with emphasis on the cross-cutting set of global ocean governance issues arising from human-induced climate change. It first provides an overview of the international legal regime governing climate change before discussing the two major anthropogenic impacts on the oceans, namely: warming/acidification and sea level rise. It then considers other governance issues such as greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, geoengineering, and blue carbon, suggesting that addressing these issues are beyond the competence of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The chapter stresses the need for greater, deeper and ultimately better co-ordinated leadership on the most significant global environmental challenge facing the world today.