Regional Seas

The aim of the article is to offer an overview on the major regional organizations and institution dealing with maritime affaires, such as The Arctic Council working group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), Intergovernmental Meeting of the Coordinating Body of the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution (Barcelona Convention) and its protocols. The year 2023 marked significant progress in the law of the sea, highlighted by the adoption of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). This milestone provides a global framework for protecting marine biodiversity and includes crucial measures such as area-based management tools, environmental impact assessments, and technology transfer for developing nations. The year also saw key regional advancements: in the Arctic, the Arctic Council resumed partial activity despite geopolitical tensions; in the Antarctic, efforts continued to establish marine protected areas under CCAMLR; East Asian nations adopted frameworks promoting blue economy and biodiversity conservation; Mediterranean countries endorsed initiatives targeting pollution and climate resilience; and the Black Sea's Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda aimed at tackling ecological challenges. Meanwhile, the Wider Caribbean region strengthened measures against marine pollution and biodiversity loss, and the OSPAR Commission expanded marine protected areas in the North-East Atlantic. Collectively, these developments underscore growing international commitment to sustainable ocean governance and regional cooperation amid global environmental and geopolitical challenges.