Analysis On The Legal Issues Of Delimiting The Antarctic Outer Continental Shelf

The snowcapped Antarctica is the sole continental that have been not determined the sovereignty and explored. With the much better understanding of this continental, it becomes the object which various states capture for its particular values of politics, economy, science and military. In the context of pitched battles regarding the sovereignty disputes among the states, the Antarctic Treaty signed by12states such as the USA, Soviet Union and the UK, shelving the dispute over the sovereignty of the Antarctica temporarily by freezing the territorial claims of the Antarctic from states with NCND.However, following the further understanding of the significant strategic positions of Antarctica and the global shortages of energy and resources since entering new century, the interest demands of states are turning to the Antarctic outer continental shelf as well as the resources in the adjacent oceans. Britain, Argentina and some states submitted the applications for delimiting the Antarctic outer continental shelf to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf of UN for the purpose of rights of exploiting resources by utilizing the ambiguous positions of Antarctic waters and continental shelf from the Antarctic Treaty as well as its conflict with UNCLOS. It has caused widespread concerns of international community; many traditional powers on Antarctic affairs are racing to attend the explorations and researches on the Antarctic outer continental shelf in order to seize the opportunities for their own self-interest. Throughout the scientific investigations refers to Antarctic from China, in spite of reaping substantial benefits in nature science. The achievements from the political and legal perspectives are limited which hardly reflects the recent developments on the Antarctic issues. Therefore, the targeted investigations of the properties of the Antarctic outer continental shelf and marine resources as well as the relevant legal issues are in possession of important strategic significance.This thesis consists of four chapters beside the foreword and concluding remarks. The first chapter is in presentation of the main legal systems of the continental shelf, including the concept and historical development of continental shelf which extends the concept of outer continental shelf along with the principle of delimitation. The second chapter is the backbone of the thesis which elaborates the primary causes of the disputes and the recent situations of the applications for Antarctic outer continental shelf in the context of Antarctic Treaty. The third chapter â…  will give comments on the conflicts between Antarctic Treaty System and the UNCLOS and their defects as well as point out the main legal issues. The last chapter lays the emphasis on the exploration for the solutions patterns of delimitation of the Antarctic outer continental shelf.