Terrorism, piracy and climate change: Challenges to international maritime governance

Abstract

UNCLOS remains the foundational convention for international maritime governance. However, the evolving threats of terrorism, piracy and climate change have not initiated any amendments to UNCLOS, nor have they been addressed comprehensively in any multilateral conventions or treaties. This failure endangers coastal state security and the stability of the international maritime regime. Furthermore, increased risk and uncertainty in the maritime domain can only exacerbate the current global economic instability. Although these threats are complex to resolve, international agreement is essential for the maintenance of a cohesive and integrated regime in the maritime domain.