"The race is on for oil and minerals under the melting Arctic ice. But the U.S. is still not on board with the Law of the Sea, the United Nations treaty on who gets access to ocean resources."
"The United Nations treaty that governs the world’s oceans is once again being discussed in Congress.
It’s been 30 years since the U.N. Law of the Sea was first established, and the United States still hasn’t ratified the treaty. The Law of the Sea defines a nation’s rights and responsibilities in, on and under the world’s oceans and has global implications for national security, commerce and the environment.
Currently, 162 countries have ratified the treaty, including nearly every major developed country except the U.S.
Democratic Senator John Kerry is once again taking up the treaty as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. He recently began holding hearings on the Law of the Sea, the most recent of which was earlier this month."
Living on Earth had the story June 25, 2012.
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