1.2 Session Description
- First Part: The ocean is our planet’s largest ecosystem (yet its legal protection remains one of the most complex and evolving challenges in international law). This interactive session invites participants on a fast-paced journey through the key international legal frameworks dedicated to the protection of the marine environment, with a particular focus on global mechanisms beyond the Mediterranean region.
Rather than approaching the topic through traditional lecture methods, this session adopts non-formal education principles, encouraging participants to explore international agreements not just as legal texts, but as living instruments of cooperation, sustainability, and collective responsibility. By integrating real-life case examples, visual tools, and collaborative reflection, participants will better understand how legal frameworks like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the groundbreaking Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) shape the future of our oceans.
We will also uncover the role of institutions such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and explore how regional seas conventions (e.g., OSPAR, HELCOM, Bucharest Convention) complement global efforts. Particular emphasis will be placed on youth engagement, capacity-building, and the importance of accessible governance in addressing shared environmental threats—making the session especially relevant for young people aspiring to lead in the fields of environmental law, climate policy, or marine advocacy.
Ultimately, this session does not aim to deliver a one-way transfer of knowledge, but to create a shared space for curiosity, awareness, and connection (empowering participants to see themselves as active contributors to the legal and political frameworks shaping our seas).
- Second Part: The Mediterranean is a meeting point of three continents and numerous nations and cultures. Often referred to as the cradle of civilisation, the region has long been under pressure from human activities. To address these challenges, environmental law aimed at protecting the Mediterranean was introduced in the 1970s, with the goal of reducing pollution, conserving biodiversity, and promoting the sustainable management of coastal regions.
This interactive session will take students on a journey through the legal framework designed to protect the Mediterranean—focusing on the Barcelona Convention and its seven Protocols, which form the backbone of international environmental governance in the region. Students will gain an overview of the Convention and its thematic Protocols, with special emphasis on the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), which also links closely to climate change.
The lecture will provide insight into the drafting and consultation process of these legal instruments, from their inception to adoption. Students will be introduced to the structure and key issues covered in these protocols, helping them understand how such international agreements are developed and how they relate to coastal zone management.
The session will follow the global legal instruments for the protection of the marine environment, before narrowing the focus to the Mediterranean—relevant to many of the students’ own backgrounds. By the end of the session, students will be encouraged to explore opportunities for personal and professional engagement, whether as individuals, through institutions, or in collaboration with NGOs. The lecture is particularly suited for young people interested in environmental law, climate policy, or advocacy related to marine and coastal environments.