Climate Change, Marine Ecosystems & Marine Law

Flashcards based on the lecture notes about Climate Change, Marine Ecosystems, and Marine Law.

What is coral bleaching and what causes it?

Loss of symbiotic algae due to rising ocean temperatures.

What gas is mainly responsible for ocean acidification?

Carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Name one effect of melting polar ice on marine ecosystems.

Habitat loss for species like polar bears and seals.

Why are phytoplankton important in the carbon cycle?

They absorb CO₂ during photosynthesis.

Explain a positive feedback loop related to global rises in water temperature.

Warming melts ice → less sunlight reflected → more warming.

How does climate change affect marine food webs?

Disrupts predator-prey relationships and causes species migration.

Describe one long term effect of ocean acidification.

Shellfish population declines, coral reef erosion.

What does UNCLOS stand for?

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

How far does a country's EEZ extend?

200 nautical miles.

What is a 'territorial sea' under UNCLOS?

12 nautical miles with full sovereignty.

What is the function of the CLCS?

Evaluate continental shelf claims beyond EEZ.

List two key principles UNCLOS establishes.

Freedom of navigation, sovereign rights to EEZ resources.

Who owns the High Seas under UNCLOS?

Open to all nations for navigation and research.

How can a country legally extend its continental shelf?

Submit evidence to CLCS under Article 76.

Which country claims the Nine-Dash Line?

China.

Name one opposing claimant in the South China Sea.

Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei.

Why is the region important economically?

Fishing, shipping routes, oil/gas reserves.

What did the Hague tribunal decide in 2016?

China’s claims were invalid under UNCLOS.

How does artificial island-building challenge maritime law?

Alters territorial claims and violates sovereignty.

Why did China oppose the 2016 Tribunal?

Claimed it didn’t have jurisdiction.

Who conducts 'freedom of navigation operations'?

US Navy patrols to challenge excessive maritime claims.

In what year did the Deepwater Horizon spill occur?

2010.

What kind of disaster was the Deepwater Horizon event?

Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Which company was primarily responsible for the Deepwater Horizon spill?

BP.

Name one environmental consequence of the Deepwater Horizon spill.

Marine life die-offs, ecosystem damage.

What federal law was invoked for penalties related to the spill?

Clean Water Act.

What is a BOP?

Blowout Preventer, a safety device used in drilling.

What was the amount of the total monetary penalties for the spill?

60 Billion.

Who governs Greenland?

Denmark, with local autonomy.

Why is the Arctic gaining global attention?

Melting ice opens shipping lanes and resource access.

What resources are under the Arctic seabed?

Oil, gas, rare minerals.

What makes Greenland’s shelf claim legally significant?

It extends beyond 200 nm using UNCLOS Article 76.

How thick is Greenland’s ice sheet?

Up to 3 km.

Name one challenge to peaceful Arctic governance.

Overlapping claims, rising geopolitical tensions.

What is the role of bathymetric mapping in UNCLOS claims?

Defines underwater terrain to prove continental shelf extent.