Abstract
Following the expected ratification in 2004 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS from 1982), Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have a period of maximum 10 years to make claims beyond 200 nautical miles (NM) in five potential areas off Greenland and the Faroe Islands (Fig. 1). In order to provide the necessary database, the Danish Continental Shelf Project has been launched by the Ministry for Science, Technology and Innovation in cooperation with the Faroese and Greenland Home Rule governments. Several institutions are participating in this project, with the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) as the coordinator of the technical work for the Greenland part of the project, and sharing the responsibility for coordination of the Faroese part with the Faroese Geological Survey (JFS).
Highlights
Article 76 of UNCLOS is the key to future jurisdiction over resources on and below the seabed beyond 200 nautical miles (NM)
One south of Greenland is outlined by the 200 NM limit, a yet to be established boundary with Canada, and the new outer limit
The East Greenland Ridge is assumed to be a natural prolongation of north-eastern Greenland, and the foot of the slope extends around the ridge (Fig. 3)
Summary
Article 76 of UNCLOS is the key to future jurisdiction over resources on and below the seabed beyond 200 NM. The most critical issue is to be able to demonstrate a natural prolongation of the submerged land territory based on geological and geomorphological factors, and later to document claims in detail by using the various formulas and constraint lines of Article 76 (Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) 1999; Cook & Carleton 2000) For construction of these lines it is necessary to know distances from territorial sea base lines (+ 200 and 350 NM), to define the location of the foot of the continental slope and the 2500 m isobath, and to know the sediment thickness beyond the foot of the slope. The foot of the continental slope (FOS) is defined as the point of maximum change of gradient at the base of the continental slope
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