Abstract
The main challenge to governing ocean resources fairly is understanding
international relations around ocean issues, the incentives to
cooperate, and approaches to improve cooperation and achieve consensus.
We aim to discuss the current and future international relations around
ocean issues and also to include the concept of fairness in how we are
sharing the oceans’ resources. This challenge uses marine protected
areas (MPAs) as a case study to highlight key issues in moving from aBusiness-as-usual to More Sustainable future scenario by
2030. This paper will discuss/outline the strategies employed in
governing the ocean resources and whether this is a fair system and
explore the implementation or non-implementation of a global network of
MPAs as a way to conserve and sustainably manage the future oceans’
resources at state, regional and global levels. The pathway to achieving
a More Sustainable future – builds on and extends theBusiness-as-usual practices. Current policy and regulatory
settings provide the base for a More Sustainable future; for
example, the new international legally binding instrument under the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and
sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national
jurisdiction (BBNJ) is likely to further support such obligations.