Determining Outer Limits of the Continental Shelf

This perceptive book analyses the determination of the outer limits of the continental shelf, examining how the related articles from the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea are interpreted and applied by coastal states and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).Yunjun Li illustrates that the CLCS has not sufficiently achieved its aim, which is to facilitate coastal states determining the outer limits of their continental shelves. This is proved by first examining the Rules of Regulation and the Guidelines adopted by the CLCS, then exploring the application of these rules, and finally recognising the problems that have arisen from their application. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of how states have responded to the recommendations issued bythe CLCS, assessing the impact of the work of the CLCS on coastal states. It further investigates the relationship between the CLCS as a scientific body and international judicial bodies by examining legal decisions concerning the delimitation of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles adopted by the latter in the absence of recommendations.This illuminating book is a vital resource for students and scholars of public international law and law of the sea. Thorough and detailed, it will also benefit policymakers and practitioners working in the related area.