The Obligation to Negotiate in the Philippines v. China Case: A Critique of the Award on Jurisdiction

The two states in the Philippines v. China Case have continually reaffirmed in multiple documents and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea that they agreed to resolve their disputes in the South China Sea through consultations and negotiations. However, the Arbitral Tribunal in its Award on Jurisdiction held that no obligation of negotiation was provided for in these instruments because they were not legally binding agreements. Moreover, the Tribunal found that the Philippines had satisfied the “obligation to seek a solution through pacific means, including negotiation.” There are problems and deficiencies in the reasoning of the Tribunal respecting these findings.     

Der Zug des Wei?storchs (Ciconia ciconia): eine besondere Zugform auf Grund neuer Ergebnisse

Zusammenfassung Für ein umfassendes Schutzkonzept für den Weißstorch (Ciconia ciconia) im Rahmen der Bonner Konvention entlang der Ostroute von den Brutgebieten über Israel bis in nordostafrikanische Zwischenziele war es erforderlich, den genauen Zugablauf, das Rastverhalten sowie Fragen der Zugenergetik und Zugökologie zu untersuchen. Wir bearbeiteten die Fragen mit Hilfe der Satelliten-Telemetrie (75 Individuen), der Untersuchung von Störchen in Volieren einschließlich der Magnet-Resonanz-(MR-)Tomographie und -Spektroskopie (MRS) (12 Vögel, über 15 Monate) sowie umfangreicher Freilandstudien. Das Hauptergebnis der Untersuchungen ist: Der Weißstorch zeigt — zumindest auf der Ostroute — einen eigenartigen, bisher von keiner anderen Vogelart in dieser Form beschriebenen Zugmodus mit folgenden Charakteristika: 1) sehr zügiges, normalerweise tagtägliches Wandern vom Brutgebiet bis in die nordafrikanischen Zwischenziele, wobei täglich etwa 8–10 Stunden gewandert und 14–16 Stunden gerastet wird. Die rund 4 600 km bis zum 18. Breitengrad werden von Jung- wie Altstörchen im Mittel in 18–19 Tagen bewältigt. 2) Ganz- oder gar mehrtägige Rast wird nur ausnahmsweise eingeschoben und scheint eher durch äußere Umstände erzwungen als im endogenen Zugprogramm vorgegeben zu sein. 3) Körpermasse und Fettdeposition sind während des Wegzugs (und des Heimzugs) niedrig und erreichen Gipfelwerte im Mittwinter, die als Anpassung an unvorhersagbare Bedingungen im Winterquartier gedeutet werden. 4) Zugzeitliche Hyperphagie ist nicht erkennbar, vielmehr nehmen Störche während des Wegzugs Nahrung in Osteuropa wohl v. a. zur Deckung des Unterhaltsbedarfs auf, zum Mittelmeer hin mehr opportunistisch und in Israel so gut wie gar nicht. Dadurch und aus dem Vergleich von Körpermassen in Sachsen-Anhalt und Israel wird wahrscheinlich, dass Störche auf dem Wegzug an Masse verlieren, die dann erst in Afrika wieder aufgefüllt wird. Wir bezeichnen den Zugmodus des überwiegend im Gleitflug wandernden Weißstorchs als MSOM-Typ (von Meist täglich wandernd, Selten ganze Rasttage einlegend, Opportunistisch Nahrung aufnehmend und Maximal Mittelmäßige Fettdepots bildend) und stellen ihm die Typen ILHB (für intermittierend ziehend) sowie NNHB (nonstop wandernd) gegenüber (s. Diskussion). Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit, v. a. über Fettdeposition und Brustmuskelzustand, beruhen ganz wesentlich auf der MR-Tomographie und MR-Spektroskopie, die hier in einer Lang-zeit-Pilotstudie an einer wild lebenden Vogelart zum Einsatz kam und sich als sehr nützlich und vielversprechend erwies (s. die nachfolgende Arbeit).

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The migration of the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia): a special case according to new data

Summary To formulate a comprehensive plan for the conservation of the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) in conformity with the Bonn Convention, along the eastern migration route from the breeding grounds across Israel into the staging areas in northeastern Africa, it was essential to investigate the entire process of migration, including resting behaviour as well as the energetic and ecological aspects. Our approach employed satellite tracking (of 75 individuals), observations of storks in aviaries by methods including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) (12 birds over 15 months), and extensive field studies. The main result of the investigation is that the White Stork exhibits, at least on the eastern route, a particular mode of migration not previously described in this form for any bird species, with the following characteristics: (i) very rapid travel from the breeding region into the North African staging areas, normally with flight periods every day, lasting about 8–10 hours and separated by 14–16 hours of rest. The ca. 4600-km distance to latitude 18°N is covered in an average of 18–19 days by both young and adult storks. (ii) Rest periods of a whole day or even several days are the exception, and their occurrence seems to be prompted by external circumstances rather than prescribed in the endogenous migration program. (iii) Body mass and fat deposition are low during the outward (and the homeward) journey and peak in midwinter, which is interpreted as an adaptation to unpredictable conditions in the winter quarters. (iv) There is no discernible hyperphagia during migration; instead, on the outward journey the storks evidently feed mainly to meet their immediate needs when in eastern Europe, more opportunistically when approaching the Mediterranean Sea, and practically not at all in Israel. According to this observation and the comparison of body weights in Sachsen-Anhalt and Israel, it is likely that storks lose weight on the outward trip and do not regain it until they reach Africa. We call the migration mode of the White Stork, which travels predominantly in gliding flight, the MSOM type (from mostly travelling every day, seldom inserting whole-day rests, opportunistically feeding and moderate or no fat depots developing), and distinguish it from the types ILHB (for intermittently migrating) and NNHB (migrating non stop) (see Discussion). The results of this study, in particular regarding fat deposition and state of breast musculature, are based substantially on MRI and MRS; these methods, tested here in a pioneering long-term study of a bird species living in the wild, have proved extremely useful and show great promise (see following paper).

     

地球工程开展现状及其对生物多样性的影响

与气候相关的地球工程(Climate-Related Geoengineering,简称地球工程)是为了减缓气候变化及其影响的目的,采取一系列大规模的人工技术和方法对地球环境或气候系统进行干预.地球工程的研究和开展受到越来越多的关注,已经成为《生物多样性公约》讨论的焦点之一.地球工程项目在全球进行了不同程度的实验和推广,与我国的利益密切相关.本文通过参与相关会议讨论以及对会议材料和相关文献的整理,梳理了地球工程的定义和内涵、介绍了不同类型地球工程的开展现状,分析了地球工程对生物多样性的潜在影响,并阐述了《生物多样性公约》对地球工程的争论.研究表明:地球工程主要通过改变区域或局地的气候和环境间接影响生物多样性,由于目前对地球工程的影响缺乏足够了解,对生物多样性有潜在影响的大规模地球工程将被禁止,但节能减排工作的义务使地球工程仍然具有应用前景.笔者对未来地球工程发展提出了自己的意见,认为地球工程技术的研究应兼顾高效、低廉和环境安全的标准,开展地球工程活动应采取预先防范措施,并探讨建立监管机制的可能性.     

物理屏障预防白蚁技术的研究及应用

白蚁是破坏性极大的世界性害虫。白蚁预防主要为化学屏障和物理屏障2种方法。但随着包括我国在内的国际社会签署的《关于持久性有机污染物的斯德哥尔摩公约》的生效,采用化学屏障预防白蚁的方法受到越来越大的挑战。文章阐述了物理屏障预防白蚁的研究历史、屏障材料类型及相应规格、屏障实施程序、国内外应用现状,并对物理屏障预防白蚁技术的发展前景进行探讨,以期为预防白蚁提供指导。     

Wildlife trade,CITES and the protection of marine molluscs in Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Indonesia is a significant trader in marine molluscs and has a comprehensive legislative framework in place to protect and use molluscs sustainably. The recent inclusion of nautilus in Appendix II of CITES and the general lack of understanding of the level of protection and regulation Indonesia's marine molluscs receive necessitates a review of current laws and agreements. The most relevant are two legally binding international agreements, CITES and the CBD, and Law No 5, and Regulations 8 and 20, dealing with protection, preservation and exploration, respectively. Over the last 30 years, 12 species of mollusc have been legally protected in Indonesia and 7 are included in CITES Appendix II. Species that are not protected can be traded, provided quotas have been set for their commercial exploitation. Seizure data suggest that the illegal trade is considerable – on average almost 10,000 shells/year are confiscated. Seizures do not lead to prosecutions. It is recommended that (a) those involved in the trade of Indonesian marine molluscs need to familiarise themselves better with current legislation and regulation, (b) monitoring of domestic and international trade in marine molluscs needs to be better coordinated and intensified and (c) prosecutions for those trading illegally in marine molluscs need to increase.     

The failure of global migration governance

The deconstruction of the moral polity around forced migration proposed by Thomas Faist in his article “The moral polity of forced migration” can, in some ways, be interpreted as an analysis of the failure of global migration governance. In this comment, I review the challenges faced by those claiming their human rights, suggesting – in addition to Faist’s explanations – some further causes of and consequences for the current situation. I then explore the type of claim made by refugees in their protests, using the concept of weak agency, which relativizes the statement made by Faist that their claim is not subversive.     

Universalizing the Law of the Sea in the South China Sea Dispute

This article argues that a resolution of the maritime disputes in the South China Sea must be based upon a universalist framework where the maritime interests of the world are upheld. The article discusses the universalist framework of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the universalist approach taken by the Tribunal on 12 July 2016 in the South China Sea Arbitration regarding the extinguishment of a state's “exceptionalist” maritime claims and the adoption of strict criteria for the characterization of features at sea.     

Declarations and Statements with Respect to the 1982 UNCLOS: Potential Legal Disputes between the United States and China after U.S. Accession to the Convention

This article discusses the implications of U.S. accession to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for the future development of Sino-American relations in the areas of ocean law and politics. The declarations and understandings contained in the Senate Resolution of Advice and Consent to U.S. Accession to the UNCLOS are examined in detail in the context of previous maritime conflicts between the United States and China.     

The Seafloor High Issue in Article 76 of the LOS Convention: Some Views from the Perspective of Legal Interpretation

The three categories of the seafloor highs provided for in Article 76 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea should be interpreted from the legal perspective and in light of the principle of the natural prolongation. “Oceanic ridges of the deep ocean floor,” which are not part of the natural prolongation of the land territory of the coastal state, are the submarine features that have no geomorphological continuity with the landmass of the coastal state. “Submarine elevations,” which are not only part of the natural prolongation of the land territory of the coastal state but also the natural component of the continental margin, are those submarine features that have geomorphological as well as geological continuity with the landmass of the coastal state. “Submarine ridges,” which are part of the natural prolongation of the land territory of the coastal state but not the natural component of the continental margin, are those submarine features that have geomorphological continuity with the landmass of the coastal state. There are some clear trends as well as obvious variances in the practice of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in this regard.     

Navigation in Marine Protected Areas: National and International Law

Abstract

World fish resources, fishing methods, and processing operations in the seafood industry are described. The fishery situation in developing countries (LDCs) is discussed, with particular reference to artisanal and other local fisheries, and examples are cited to illustrate the structure of the industry. Technology transfer from developed countries to LDCs is discussed and recommendations are presented for future technology transfer programs. It is concluded that an integrated complex of small projects with defined, attainable objectives and immediate impact on income and food supply of the LDC populations is likely to be more successful than large‐scale programs with little immediate payoff. A case study of fisheries in two developing countries, Thailand and Peru, and extensive tabulation of statistical data on catches, value of catch, and unit value of fish species groups for selected countries, with a discussion of the significance of the data, are presented in an appendix.