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America has gotten a lot bigger. The United States has successfully acquired another million square kilometers of ocean space by expanding the boundaries of its continental shelf. Yes,
America has gotten a lot bigger. The United States has successfully acquired another million square kilometers of ocean space by expanding the boundaries of its continental shelf. Yes, it’s as if America has purchased a new basement almost 60% the size of Alaska.
Mead Treadwell, former lieutenant governor of Alaska and chairman of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, helps us make sense of the situation.
“America is bigger than it was yesterday. It’s not exactly the Louisiana purchase. It’s not exactly the Alaska purchase, but the new land and subsoil under the control of the United States is twice the size of California,” Treadwell explained.
What is this all about? Think of the ocean as a multi-story building with each country having individual floors extending from its coastline.
As a rule, territorial rights end after 200 nautical miles, approximately from the fifth floor, but the extended continental shelf (ECS) is an underground parking lot that gives states ownership of resources beyond the typical 200 nautical miles.
The United States began its search for an ECS in 2003. The effort was no easy task, requiring teamwork between the U.S. State Department, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
It took them two decades and required a massive data-gathering effort, but it paid off. On December 19, 2023, the State Department announced new geographic coordinates for the U.S. ECS, adding huge swaths of land in the Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific, and beyond.
This ambitious undertaking was more than just drawing lines on a map. It required a scientific adventure of epic proportions.
The areas covered by this claim include the Arctic, the eastern Atlantic coast, the Bering Sea, the western Pacific coast, the Mariana Islands and two sites in the Gulf of Mexico. “Forty missions at sea, visiting areas we’ve never explored before, finding seamounts we don’t even know exist,” said Brian Van Pei, the State Department’s project director.
Scientists spent more than three years mapping the new area, using echo sounder mapping, geological sampling and analysis of the precipitation layer. The result, says Wang Pei, is a representation consistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is the legal basis for the claim.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), commonly known as the Law of the Sea Treaty, serves as a vital framework governing our planet’s oceans and seas. Developed through the collaborative efforts of more than 160 countries, UNCLOS provides fundamental legal guidelines for managing marine natural resources, protecting the environment, and defining maritime rights between nations.
UNCLOS was born in the 20th century under the influence of the increasing use of marine resources and advances in maritime technology that required a coherent set of international rules.
The Convention emerged from three UN conferences on the law of the sea, the first of which was held in 1956. However, this fundamental agreement was only concluded in 1982 and formally entered into force on 16 November 1994.
The implications of this move are manifold. First, the US now has the right to control and potentially develop resources such as oil, gas, and minerals across a large area. But that doesn’t mean they can suddenly start fishing further offshore or patrolling new areas of water. More like the US government gaining mineral rights to some underwater property.
The claim was carefully worded so as not to anger other nations, particularly Russia, but there may be some overlap with Canada that could require future diplomacy.
Despite the potential gains, challenges remain. The biggest of these is that UNCLOS has not been formally ratified by the US Senate. This gap could potentially limit the international legal weight of the claim. Furthermore, the validity of the statement depends on the reliability of scientific verification.
According to Treadwell, “If someone came along and said, ‘Your science is bad,’ I think the United States would listen. But I don’t think the science is bad. I think we have very good science.”
There’s more than just economic gain at stake. The move also expands the U.S.’s authority to effectively enforce environmental regulations and protect sensitive marine ecosystems from uncontrolled exploitation. But balancing these environmental responsibilities with economic interests will be a difficult task.
But hey, that’s part of the excitement, right? With more than 75 countries already defining the ECS boundaries, it’s clear that the world is entering a new era of ocean governance. Will this new region lead to a struggle for resources, or will it foster cooperation in the management and protection of the world’s oceans?
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. For now, America has taken a bold step, and the rest of the world is watching. But one thing is certain: How we navigate these waters will impact not just our economy, but the health of our oceans, our climate, and our future.
Source: Port Altele
As an experienced journalist and author, Mary has been reporting on the latest news and trends for over 5 years. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines, Mary has earned a reputation as a trusted voice in the world of journalism. Her writing style is insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, as she takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of our time.
