Ensuring The Protection Of Arctic Marine Biodiversity In The Face Of Climate Change

Abstract

This chapter analyzes climate change impacts on Arctic biodiversity and examines the role of existing governance frameworks, as well as the creation of new legal instruments and management strategies to minimize future repercussions of such impacts. It describes the current state of Arctic biodiversity in light of projected climate change impacts for the region. The chapter focuses on existing legal frameworks governing the Arctic region and their applicability to marine biodiversity and climate change considerations, with a particular focus on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It also analyzes the scope of climate change effects on specific Arctic ecosystems and species to highlight the rapid biological and physical changes occurring in the Arctic and the need to ensure effective biodiversity conservation and management frameworks are in place. Keywords: Arctic ecosystems; Arctic marine biodiversity; climate change; Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); UNCLOS