The Legal Mechanisms For Biodiversity Protection In The International Seabed Area

With the development of science and technology, the exploration and research have been expanded to the ocean, which brings not only economic benefits but also environmental damages. The bio-diversity suffers huge catastrophe due to the series of oceanic activities, including offshore oil-mining and excessive fish-catching. The balance of the bio-diversity will be destroyed, with our offspring trapped in a barren, if no measures to be taken, no changes to be made.To better shape the oceanic order of the whole world, The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was open to signature to the International Community in 1982, while a number of western powers turned down to make signs on the Convention, own to the regulations on the legal system of International Sea-bed Area. They were strongly against and refused to join in the Convention. With the endeavors from developing countries and negotiations presided by the UN Secretariat, an agreement was arrived based on the fundamental revises on the system of International Sea-bed Area. Known as the compromise between the developing countries and western powers, the Convention surely inserts a profound effect on the issue of Ocean. However, there is a pity that no regulations refer to the sustainable use of biological resources on Area.Convention on Biological Diversity was introduced in 1990s and systematically established a better framework of legal principles and measures. Seen as the milestone of bio-diversity protection, it made a comprehensive elaboration on the genetic resource access, scientific technology transfer and communications among nations. And it is necessary to discuss the protections to the bio-diversity under the frameworks of the two Conventions.