The ‘Commons’ Solution to Troubled Waters

The global commons are traditionally connected to ‘those parts of the planet that fall outside national jurisdictions and to which all nations have access’ such as the high seas, outer space, and the deep seabed. However, there is a trend to expand the reach of commons beyond the traditional perception to cover the environment and natural resources that are of common interest to the well-being of the community of nations, regardless of the sovereignty status over such environment and resources. In this context, this article aims to explore the interlinkage between the concept of (global) commons and disputed marine areas from the perspective of international law, which hitherto has been little explored in literature. In particular, this article discusses the applicability of the concept of commons to disputed marine areas by examining the changing relationship between commons and sovereignty over time. Through a comparative analysis of various legal regimes associated with the well-accepted commons in international law (i.e. the high seas, outer space, the deep seabed, Antarctica) as well as the climate system and biological diversity, the article concludes that a certain space or resource, irrespective of its sovereignty status, including a disputed marine area, can be protected as commons in view of the interdependence of ecological systems. It further analyzes the added values that the concept of commons can bring in addition to the existing regulatory framework governing disputed marine areas.