Marine jurisdiction in the Arctic - disputes and

The reduction in sea ice has increased access for ships into the Arctic Ocean, making it easier to extract oil and gas, and creating a need to define who has the right to extract resources from the different areas of the Arctic Ocean. In the Ilulissat Declaration (May 2008), five Arctic states agreed that the United Nations' Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982, current version 1994) was sufficient to provide a legally binding framework to resolve potential territorial disputes. This convention defines the key territorial boundaries of coastal nations, dividing the sea into zones that can be regulated and exploited. Briefing notes referred to in the key are available at https://www.dur.ac.uk/ibru/resources/arctic/