ABSTRACT
The Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS), concluded in 1982 and entered into force in 1994, is a quasi-constitutional treaty, addressing the division of ocean spaces into distinct zones, and identifying the rights, competencies, and responsibilities of states and other actors in those spaces. Its substantive environmental provisions are very general; for more specific rules and standards, one must turn to a network of legal and policy texts, customary law, and international organizations.
