International Seabed Authority
About ISA:
- ISA is an intergovernmental body of 167 member states and the European Union established under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
- The ISA’s dual mission is to authorize and control development of mineral related operations in the international seabed considered the “common heritage of all mankind”.
- It aims to protect the ecosystem of the seabed, ocean floor and subsoil in “The Area” beyond national jurisdiction.
- The ISA is to safeguard the international deep sea, the waters below 200 meters or 656 feet, where photosynthesis is hampered by inadequate light.
- The Authority obtained its observer status to the United Nations in October 1996.
- Currently, the Authority has 167 members and the European Union, composed of all parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
- The Authority operates by contracting with private and public corporations and other entities authorizing them to explore, and potentially exploit, specified areas on the deep seabed for mineral resources, such as cobalt, nickel and manganese.
Syllabus: Prelims
