Arctic Outer Continental Shelf Dispute Settlement Mechanism And Its Analysis

According to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea（UNCLOS），Thecontinental shelf is defined as the natural prolongation of the land territory tothe continental margins outer edge(200nautical miles from the coastal state’sbaseline). A state’s continental shelf may exceed200nm until the natural prolongationends. However, it may never exceed350nm from the baseline; or it may never exceed100nautical miles beyond the2,500meter isobaths (the line connecting the depth of2,500meters). Coastal states have rights to harvest mineral and non-living materialinthe subsoil and the control over the navigation channel and living resources attachedto the continental shelf. Therefore coastal nations are searching for evidence andnecessary data to prove its jurisdiction over this region.Arctic ischaracterized by serious weather. Socially and politically, the Arcticregion includes the northern territories of the eight Arctic states, five of which haveterritory disputes. Recently, as it is possible to explore the resources and navigationchannel over Arctic as global warming continues, coastal states are searching for allpossible means to prove its jurisdiction over their outer continental shelf, which,however, could help deepen the understanding of Arctic but may also intensify thecompetition. Since21century, the competition over Arctic is becoming ever fiercer.From the perspective of global governance, the cooperation and governance overArctic started late and so far without a comprehensive governance institution.Currently, governance institutions at global, regional and national levels exist at thesame time. On disputes over outer continental shelf, although UNCLOS givesdetailed definition, the interests’ among coastal states and non-coastal states, coldweather and other related factors make it difficult to achieve comprehensivegovernance. However, among current discussions, it is a relatively rational way tosettle a demarcation according UNCLOS. However, as numbers of states areconcerned on the governance of Arctic outer continental shelf, we still have to payattention to the details of this method.