Oceans and International Environmental Law Interest Group

The ANZSIL Oceans and International Environmental Law Interest Groupprovides a forum for discussion and collaboration between ANZSIL members in all areas of law of the sea and international environmental law. Given the significant maritime interests and unique environments of Australia and New Zealand, these are important areas of international law in which ANZSIL members have long been closely involved and made important contributions. This group seeks to continue and actively encourage this tradition, by facilitating the exchange of information and ideas, and the development of professional networks between academics, practitioners, public policy makers and students of international law on issues relating to the law of the sea and international environmental law. The group encompasses a wide range of subject matters including:

• Maritime boundaries
• International fisheries
• Marine biodiversity
• Maritime security
• Maritime law
• Marine pollution and marine scientific research
• Offshore resources
• Environmental law
• Climate change

The group welcomes discussion on all of these topics from a wide range of theoretical, practical and cross-disciplinary perspectives, as well as broader discussion on issues such as international dispute settlement and the development of conventional and customary international law in these areas.

Governance

The Interest Group is coordinated by Co-Chairs, elected by Interest Group members for a two-year period, as set out in the ANZSIL Interest Group Guidelines. The current officeholders are:

• Frances Anggadi, University of Wollongong (2024 - 2025)
• Bruno Arpi, University of Tasmania (2024 - 2025)
• Bjorn-Oliver Magsig, Victoria University Wellington (2024-2026)
• Marcelo Feitosa de Paula Dias, Queensland University of Technology (2024-2026)

The Co-Chairs are supported by formal Friends of the Chair: Holly Mately, Alice Revell, Millicent McCreath, Sam Good and Channelle Fitzgerald.

Events and Activities

2021 OIELIG Workshop

An OIELIG Workshop was hosted by Victoria University of Wellington in April 2021. The workshop was co-funded by Victoria University and a grant provided by ANZSIL. In addition to providing a forum to network and exchange ideas, the workshop was to provided early career researchers with an opportunity to present papers on international environmental law and law of the sea.

OIELIG Discussion Group

OIELIG co-chair Joanna Mossop has formed an OIELIG Discussion Group to give OIELIG members and other international environmental law and law of the sea researchers and practitioners an opportunity to virtually meet and discuss draft papers and issues of interest to the group. The group convenes monthly over Zoom and has held stimulating discussions about topics including: Maritime Autonomous Vehicles and the Law of the Sea; COVID-19 and the Law of the Sea; and the limits and opportunities of Antarctic governance. The Discussion Group is open to any interested ANZSIL and non-ANZSIL members, with details sent around to those who have expressed interest in attending. Joanna is supported in running the Discussion Group by Cameron Diver and Kerryn Brent.

2017 OIELIG Workshop

The 2017 OIELIG workshop was hosted by the University of Wollongong on 24 February 2017. See the Workshop Report for more details.