International Commons / Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Arctic

This review highlights legal and policy developments this year that are directly relevant to the Arctic environment. These include the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement; the agreements adopted under the auspices of the Arctic Council; the International Maritime Organization; and general environmental law with implications on the Arctic, such as the International Whaling Commission and the the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee to develop an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Other developments occurred at the regional, bilateral, and national levels.