ASEAN’s soft law on marine environmental pollution

The sea-bound development of humankind is the most pronounced and significant feature of the 21st century, which is expected to be the ocean’s century. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognise the conservation and sustainable use of seas and oceans as an indicator of a country’s development level. Humankind faces grave challenges associated with marine environmental pollution due to the accelerated pace of maritime resource extraction. Owing to the uniformity and the transboundary nature of the marine environment, preventing and reducing marine environmental pollution is not only a national concern but also a regional and global priority. As a region with diverse ecosystems and abundant marine resources, The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has long viewed marine environmental preservation as a cornerstone of its environmental protection strategy. This paper posits the effectiveness of ASEAN’s “soft law” and discusses member states’ cooperation through the establishment of regional documents and mechanisms to address environmental pollution. On that foundation, the study underscores the role of ASEAN’s “soft law” and projects its trajectory concerning the regional legal framework for protecting the marine environment.