Committee:
GA 3 – Territorial Disputes
Issue:
Disputes arising from predicted land losses due to global warming
Student Officer:
Yasemin Erdinç (President Chair of GA3)
I- Introduction
4.6 billion year old Earth itself has gone through a big time period of evolution. There have been enormous
changes throughtout it’s formation. It has gone through the eons of; Hadean Eon, Archean Eon, Proterozoic Eon
and Phanerozoic Eon. From a tiny dust in the universe there formed an atmosphere of life. Since the late 19th
Century, Earth is again facing some changes. The rise in the avarage temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and
oceans is causing permanent harm to our planet. This process called global warming had caused Earth’s surface
temperature to rise by 0.8 °C.
Global warming has many effects; the rise of temperature, ineffieciency of water, food insecurity, danger to
human health, pollution etc. One of the most important factors today that concerns us is the land loss caused by
global warming and the disputes that result because of this.
Global warming, in other words climate change had caused sea level to rise. Current sea level rise is now
effecting the lives of people living in coastal regions and islands along with the natural environment. Rising seas,
due wash out some landscapes and cause some disputes among different populations. As this process continues on
to be like this, the islands in the surface of the world will be eliminated and then the nations following them.
Another case of land loss could be the historically frozen surface to get thinner, which is also really dangerous.
The United Nations has categorized these nations facing the problem of heightened challenges as;
 Least Developed Countries (LDCs),
 Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island
 Developing States (SIDS).
However, there is no clear identification of the specific countries that face the problem of land loss.
When considered the loss of islands and land does not only effect the physical territory, but it also has a big
effect on the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). This could result with border disputes between neighboring
countries.
Some islands have already lost land along low-lyind coastal areas. This has even a worse efect where in
the low-lying atolls population would have to evacuate itself to another island where the will be further social and
cultural conflicts. It’s just the same in Papua New Guinea, where the Carteret Islands is being submerged. If this
island is totally lost than it means that the people will never be able to return to their homeland.
Some other problems due to flooding and droughts also cause abondonement, migration and disputes over
resources, where the security will be therefore endangered.
II- Involved Countries and Organizations
PSIDS (Pacific Small Island Developing States)
1
The Pacific Small Island Developing States could be the little states of Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia
(Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
They are the smallest remote countries on earth comprising an area of only half a million square kilometers in the
world’s biggest ocean. Papua New Guinea could be identified as the largest among all the other PSIDS having
462,840 km2 area. The remaining PSIDS are less than 20,000 km2.
Due to its physical characteristics, of being remote and having poor infrastructure, PSIDS are extremely
vulnerable and the case of climate change has a great impact on PSIDS who are suffering due to hard time with
developing along with security issues.
The rising sea level in PSIDS threatens territorial integrity and sovereignty leading to conflicts and unrest
over sources and land. Some countries are even under great danger of disappearing totally. This kind of a sea rise
in these countries could result with inundation, erosion, salt water intrusion and intensified storm impacts which
will threaten the existence of islands. When the rate of loss of ice in Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are
considered the seriousness of the issue could be understood even better. The rate seems to be even greater than
predicted.
The flooding that occurs in this area could cause dangerous mudslides and when the disaster emerges due to
unstable weak infrastructure in PSIDS, the area can not withstand the climatic conditions and result with a
catastrophe. The rebuild and all other improvement acts are a huge economic pressure over PSIDS due to their
limited budgets. This makes these countries dependent on other forces. After all these it should be easy to see how
any extreme climatic condition could effect a PSID nation and threaten both it’s national security along with the
international peace and security.
INDIA AND BANGLADESH
Surprisingly this case is another case when compared to others explained below, but this information is just
here for you to have a better understanding of the issue. What is different about this one from the cases below is
that here, there was a conflict between two states over a land that was to be shared, though the conflict was
resolved not by a treaty, not by a war, not by a peacemaker, nor a diplomat. It was global warming. There was this
dispute between these two countries over 35 years. “The island was claimed by both Bangladesh and India
although neither country established any permanent settlement there because of the island’s geographical
instability. India had reportedly hoisted the Indian flag on South Talpatti in 1981 and established a temporary base
of Border Security Forces (BSF) on the island, regularly visiting with naval gunships.”
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/03/25/bengal-island-succumbs-to-global-warming-nonsense-ap-gets-nutty-overloss-of-a-sandbar/
2
AP claimed that global warming induced sea level rise and submerged the island.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES
The issue of dispute between Canada and the United states is over the Beaufort Sea.
“The Beaufort Sea is a portion of the Arctic Ocean which is about 170,000 square miles equal to 450,000
square kilometers, in area. It is located north of Alaska, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Both the United
States and Canada dispute the delimitation of part of the maritime boundary in the Beaufort Sea. The disputed area
covers 6,250 square nautical miles. The United States claims delimitation following a line of equidistance
perpendicular to the coast, out to a distance of 200 nautical miles, equal to 370 km. Canada claims 200 nautical
miles measured along the 141st meridian.” cusli.org/niagara/memorials/2011/2011-01R.pdfSo, in short the
Canadian position is that the maritime boundary should follow the land boundary while the American position is
that the maritime boundary should extend along a path equidistant from the coasts of the two nations.
As a result of global warming, the disputed area of the Beaufort Sea’s surface has thinned and due to this southern
fish populations are attracted to this area benefitting from the warming ocean temperatures and nutrient rich waters.
To protect this area United States had claimed on April 10, 2010 that it was closing 200,000 square miles
of the water of North coast of Alaska to commercial fishing. This was to be called as a precautionary action
implemented to settle research and conserve the Beaufort Sea.
As expected on April 12, 2010 Canada protested this act of imposing fishing moratorium in the disputed
area and continued on allowing fishing in the Beaufort Sea.
The United States Department of State replied in a diplomatic note the next day which stated: “Until
Canada and the United States resolve the Beaufort Sea boundary dispute, consistent with the precautionary
principle the United States has every right to implement the fishing ban even in the disputed waters in order to
protect the sensitive and vital Beaufort Sea eco-system.” cusli.org/niagara/memorials/2011/2011-01R.pdf
3
“The disputed 21,436 square kilometers of ocean seabed in the Beaufort Sea claimed by both Canada and
the United States falls within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States according to the equidistant
method of maritime delimitation. Since the United States has exclusive jurisdiction over its exclusive economic
zone, all imposed bans on fishing and exploratory drilling are regulated by the United States, consistent with
international law. Even if the disputed area of the Beaufort Sea is not found to be within the Exclusive Economic
Zone of the United States, the bans should nonetheless be upheld in accordance with the Precautionary Principle.
Even if the Northwest Passage is considered Canadian internal waters, foreign States maintain the right of innocent
passage under international law. Furthermore, the unilateral imposition of the Canadian Northwest Passage Act
constitutes an infringement on this right of passage because it exceeds the permissible scope of Canada’s regulatory
power of an international strait, and was not formally adopted by the International Maritime Organization prior to
implementation.” cusli.org/niagara/memorials/2011/2011-01R.pdf
CANADA- UNITED STATES - DENMARK
A large amount of anticipation is built over the Arctic and the exploration of it’s sea beds for oil and more
recently, natural gas. The issue of the division of this oil rich region has caused contraversery between countries.
The Lomonosov Ridge located under the North Pole with it’s rich in minerals is claimed by Russia, Canada, and
Denmark. The Russian even launced a scramble for Arctic resources. One of the leaders and the leading polar
explorer of Russia Artur Chilingarov claimed that “The Arctic has always been Russian.”
“In 2010 NATO's top officer in Europe, James Stavridis, an American admiral, gave warning that “for
now, the disputes in the north have been dealt with peacefully, but climate change could alter the equilibrium”.
Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, has hinted at similar concerns. “NATO”, he said, “has sensed
where the wind comes from. It comes from the north.” The development of the Arctic will involve a rebalancing of
large interests. The Lomonosov ridge could contain several billion barrels of oil equivalent, a substantial prize. For
Greenland, currently semi-autonomous from Denmark, Arctic development contains an even richer promise: full
independence. That would have strategic implications not only for Denmark but also for the United States, which
has an airbase in northern Greenland.”http://www.economist.com/node/21556797
ARGENTINA AND CHILE
Being the second largest non-Antartic masses in the Southern Hemisphere,
Patagonian Ice Fields of both Chile and Argentina is under great danger. In the light of
the apparent global warming in recent years, these ice fields are thinnning at an
accelarating pace. Therefore it is important to monitor the glaciers in this region.
According the the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007 the total loss since
1960 in this region is defined as 40m ice thinckness averaged over the glaciers.
4
However, between 1995 and 2000 the rate of ice loss from the icefields more than doubled, which is equivalent to a
sea level rise of 0.1 milimeters per year.
Patagonian Ice Fields with their second largest reserve of potable water in the world have caused conflict
between Argentina and Chile. With it’s undetermined status during the demarcation of 24 disputed borders in 1990
this area now reamins as contested. The discussions began in the year of 2006, when Argentina started forming
maps to demarcate the icefields.
The conflict got even more triggered with the announcement of finalization of the maps by the Argentine
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in September 2009. As a result, the Chilean government was concerned
because of the discrepancies between Chilean and Argentine maps. Suprisingly even though a conflict was about
to emerge at any time and cause serious trouble the Chilean government approached to this issues calmly.
The Chilean government claimed that this was not a conflict for some time, adding that it was a procedure
to be agreed by both countries that willl take some time. Despite the reassurances, there was a meeting held
arguing if there was a possible threat over an unfavourable estimate of the border.
So unfortunate for the Chilean government, the dispute came on the heels of the Peruvian demands for the
settlement of a coastal land dispute which was under the debate since the Pacific War. The Argentine President and
the Peruvian president discussed the issue at the recent Europe-Latin America and Caribbean Conference in
Madrid.
“It seems that, in some countries, Chile has changed into a scapegoat for local political problems,” said Senator
Hernán Larraín. “But we are not going to fall into that game.”For the time being, Chilean president Sebastián
Piñera has not announced his policy on the two disputes. He has simply said that the government will be working to
resolve them quickly.“We are working on these two issues in a reasonable way, with evidence based in
international law and international treaties, and with the willingness to solve these problems,” Piñeratold media
recently.”http://en.mercopress.com/2010/05/20/argentina-revives-long-time-border-dispute-with-chile-inpatagonian-ice-fields
In 2006, the same year the Chilean government sent a note to Argentina about their disturbance about the
Argentine tourism maps that demarcated the land as most of the area belonging to Argentina.
This region with is unbeliavable beauty and wilderness is now the scene of a bitter fight due to the plans of
Chile of builing 5 hydroelectric dams which will provide it’s quarter of need for the electricity.
“The environmentalists argue that the country should first concentrate on improving its energy efficiency, claiming
that could actually save more electricity than HidroAysen will generate. The government insists that both
HidroAysen and improved efficiency are necessary.”
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/chile/120430/hidroaysen-dam-hydroelectric-chilepatagonia-green-energy
5
III- Focused Overview of the Issue
This graphic on the left is taken from the
website :
http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/maldive
s.htm designed to explain the effects on
climate change in the Maldives. Though it
could be applied to all the other nations
facing the same problem. By having a
look at this you could have an idea about
the issue in general, which will be
explained further below.
1) Territorial Intergrity – Border Disputes
There are great changes in the landmass during this century. The coastlines are recedeing, large areas are
submerging and as this continues loss of territory increases. Low-lying islands and territories and some small
islands are also under the same risk. There occur the problems of international disputes over land, maritime
borders, EEZs and other territorial problems. Some countries under this great risk could be listed as Kiribati, the
Republic of Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu.
Actuallly territory disputes related to global warming occur as a result of newly uncovered land. The territories
that will most likely be under dispute in the coming years will be arctic and the antartic region. Due to glacial
meltings in this region, resources are uncovered and shipping lanes that could cause territory dispues over the
looseley drawn borders emerge. The artic region is under the risk of a dispute between Russia, US, Canada; all
having claims over the region.
The Antartic region is currently divided into 7 portions of 7 different countries, also having some other regions
which are not claimed. Argentina and Chile already had disputes over the melting Southern Patagonia ice field. It
could emerge as a valuable oil resource and tourist destination in the region.
2) Migration
According to the International Federation of the Red Cross in the World Disasters Report 2001 more people
are forced to leave their home because of natural disasters than war.
“The adverse impacts of climate change increase the rate of domestic migration and relocation, with people
from rural areas and outlying islands moving to urban centers. The number is growing as people in rural areas are
losing their livelihoods and land due to natural disasters and sea-level rise. Internal migration both within and
between islands places an enormous strain on food, housing, education, health, and water, as recipient communities
6
struggle to accommodate the number of people migrating.” www.un.org/esa/dsd/resources/res_pdfs/ga-
64/.../PSIDS_CCIS.pdf
3) Sea Level Rise
The submergence of low-lying coastal areas causes population displacement along with military resource
relocation. “Low-lying region of Bangladesh has the problem of cross-border climate refugess, causing conflict
with neighboring countries.In 2009 one of the PSIDS countries, Tuvalu had claimed it’s concern and worry about
the impact of climate change over their resource, loss of territory, loss of culture and potential security threaths.
“The report issued by Tuvalu states that “… (the) large movement of Tuvaluans to another country with a different
set of cultural systems could potentially cause tentions and
unrest.”www.climate.org/climatelab/Climate_Change_Security The majority of Tuvalu is 2 meters above sea level
while the highest place is 4 meters above the sea level.
The rise of sea level rise in the low lying island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, a military base, would force
the US military to undertake a costly and difficult military relation process.
4) GLACIAL MELTING – ARCTIC REGION
3-4 degrees Fahrenheit of increase in the past 50 years and the
receding of ice shelves have been recorded by the USGS (U.S.
Geological Survey) and the EIA. According to the report Antartica
has the capacity to posses 50 billion barrels of oil which is equal to
the amount of Alaska’s estimated reserves. Just like the arctic
region, the antartic region is under the same risk of providing a
situation of territorial contention over natural resources,
specifically oil. Due to extreme weather conditions the access to
natural resources has been limited physically, so the accesibility to
oil fields is really difficult. There has been increased oil
exploration in the Falkland Region due to high predictions of oil
fields ranging upwards of 60 million barrels.
In February 2010 there was the conflict of the rights over oil exploration rights in the Falkland Island Region.
“These predictions are published by oil companies in the region and differ greatly from the analysis by the USGS
and British GS which both predict much lower levels of recoverable oil, rughly 5.8 billion barrels. Argentina
blocked a British cargo ship bringing oil drillling equipment to the Falklands, disputing that Brittain is drilling too
close to the Argentanian seashore. Argentina has brought the claim to the UN arguing that Britain needs a permit
to pursue drilling the area.”http://preapism.com/2008/09/27/articglobalwarming/.
7
IV- Key Vocabulary
Global Warming/ Climate Change: Due to the level of carbon dioxide that ascends even more by time, CFCs, and
other pollutants, increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. Global warming can cause sea level
rise in two ways: thermal expansion and land-ice melting.
Rising Sea Level: The augmentation in the height of sea level due to global warming. As a result of the world
getting warmer, the sea level will rise, the land and the atmosphere will warm and the heat that will be transformed
to oceans.
IPCC: IPCC standing for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the leading international body for the
assessment of climate change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO). Its main intention is providing the world with a clear scientific view on the
current knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic
impacts.www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization.shtml
EEZs: EEZs standing for the Exclusive Economic Zones are the sea zones determined by the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea where states individually have rights for the exploration, use of marine resources
and energy production from water and wind.
V- Important Events & Chronology
Date (Day/Month/Year)
1990
Event
“In 1990, on the basis of scientific knowledge available before the IPCC
First Assessment Report was concluded, the WMO/ICSU/UNEP
Advisory Group on Greenhouse Gases (AGGG) produced an analysis of
"targets and indicators" for climate change to develop long-term risk
management targets.”www.un.org/esa/dsd/resources/res_pdfs/ga-
64/.../PSIDS_CCIS.pdf
1991
Madrid Protocol took place which set a moratorium in oil mining in
Antarctica for 50 years (until 2041)
1975-1995-2002
(change)
In Micronesia, particularly in Pohnpei, forest cover decreased due to
climate change from 15,000 hectares in 1975 to 5,200 hectares in 1995 to
4,200 hectares in 2002.
8
10 February 2009
The UN General Assembly, in Resolution 63/213 of 10 February 2009,
entitled "Follow up to and implementation of the Mauritius Strategy of
Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable
Development of Small Island States," claiming that "the effects of climate
change may threaten the existence of some of them."
2007
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Fourth
Assessment Report (AR4), released in 2007.
VI- Past Resolutions and Treaties
“A1RES/63/281 Resolution on 3 June 2009, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
unanimously to invite "the relevant organs of the United Nations to intensify their efforts in considering and
addressing climate change, especially its security implications." It represents the first time that the entire
international community has drawn an explicit connection between climate change and international peace and
security.”
This resolution took a very big action considering the issue from also security dimension. The resolution
states, inter alia, that the General Assembly is "deeply concerned that the adverse impacts of climate change,
including sea-level rise, could have possible security implications."cusli.org/niagara/memorials/2011/201106A.pdf
Other than this the previously explained issue of United States and Canada over the Beaufort Sea and
Northwest Passage was taken into International Court of Justice and was studied there.
VII- Failed Solution Attempts
There have been negotiation talks and some peaceful acts done by the nations facing this problem but not
all of them ended with great success.
VIII- Possible Solutions
Not just to prevent and resolve the conflicts between nations caused by land loss due to global warming,
but also to protect the life of mankind the first step to be taken should be preventing global warming in every way.
The key to accomplish this task is saving energy. Other than this the fastes and the most efficient method to reduce
ice loss and global warming is controlling the soot (tiny air polution particles) created by burning fossil fuels.
9
Another solution to be accomplished is to ask nations to negotiate to prevent the loss of lands (both thermal
expansion and ice loss). Conferences could be held for the information of the public about global warming in
general. Lastly peacetalks between nations could be made and meeting could be arranged for nations to demarcate
on the land that they are fighting for.
IX- Useful Links
http://www.examiner.com/article/global-warming-settles-island-dispute
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/03/25/bengal-island-succumbs-to-global-warming-nonsense-ap-gets-nuttyover-loss-of-a-sandbar/
http://www.terranature.org/globalwarmingpatagonia.htm
http://www.economist.com/node/21556797
X- Works Cited
A Dispute Arising Under the Statute of the International Court of Justice.
cusli.org/niagara/memorials/2011/2011-06A.pdf. February 2011
Auer, Henry. Extreme Weather Events and Global Warming.
http://warmgloblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/economic-costs-of-extreme-weather.html
Climate Change Impacts Globally.http://www.cana.net.au/general-info/climate-change-impacts-globally
Climate Change Security.http://www.climate.org/climatelab/Climate_Change_Security#ref_9
Disappearing world: Global warming claims tropical island
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/disappearing-world-global-warming-claimstropical-island-429764.html. Sunday 24 December 2006
Fears, Niki. Global Warming settles island dispute.http://www.examiner.com/article/global-warming-settlesisland-dispute. March 29, 2010
Global Warming Forecasts Creation, Loss Of Climate Zones.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070326181452.htm . Mar. 27, 2007
Goddan, Stewert. Bengal Island succumbs to global warming nonsense – AP gets nutty over the loss of
a sandbar.http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/03/25/bengal-island-succumbs-to-global-warming-nonsense-apgets-nutty-over-loss-of-a-sandbar/. March 25, 2010
J Markey, Edward. Melting Glaciers Threaten to Raise Global Sea Levels Over 20 Feet.
http://globalwarming.markey.house.gov/impactzones/greenland
News Mongabay.http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0314-amazon.html, March 14, 2009
Vincent Gaffney. “Global Warming and Lost Lands: Understanding the Effects of Sea Level
Rise”.http://www.centerforabetterlife.com/eng/magazine/article_detail.lasso?id=39
Vidal John. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/03/global-warming-climate-refugees. Tuesday 3
November 2009 00.05 GMT. 18 July 2012
10