Where will the NCLOS Annual Conference 2026 be held?

The conference will take place in Tromsø, NOR.

When does the NCLOS Annual Conference 2026 take place?

The conference is scheduled to run for several days in November.

NCLOS Annual Conference 2026: Swinging Tides — Transformations and Resilience in the Law of the Sea

Name: NCLOS Annual Conference 2026: Swinging Tides — Transformations and Resilience in the Law of the Sea
Start: 2026-11-03T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-11-05T00:00:00Z
Location: Tromsø

Nov 3–5, 2026Tromsø, NorwayIn-person

Registration open

The NCLOS Annual Conference in 2026, themed "Swinging Tides — Transformations and Resilience in the Law of the Sea," will convene in Tromsø, Norway. This event focuses on the dynamic and evolving nature of the Law of the Sea, addressing both the challenges and opportunities arising from geopolitical shifts, technological advancements, and environmental pressures. Participants will engage in discussions on how international legal frameworks adapt to these transformations, emphasizing the concept of resilience in maritime governance.

Committees & topics

Topics
Geopolitical Crises and the Law of the Sea · The Climate-Ocean Nexus and the Law of the Sea · Regions and Regionalization(s) in Ocean Governance · Systemic Integration of the Law of the Sea in a Time of Uncertainty · The Resilience of the Law of the Sea · Architectural Strains in the Law of the Sea · Technological Acceleration(s) at Sea · Freedoms of the Seas and Spheres of Influence

Why it matters

The Law of the Sea is a foundational pillar of international relations, governing everything from navigation and resource exploitation to environmental protection in the world's oceans. As global dynamics shift, so too do the pressures on this legal regime. Issues such as rising sea levels, increased competition for Arctic resources, and new forms of maritime security threats demand continuous re-evaluation and adaptation of existing legal instruments.

This conference is particularly relevant given its focus on "transformations and resilience." It acknowledges that the Law of the Sea is not static but must evolve to remain effective in the face of unprecedented changes. Discussions will likely explore how states and international organizations can build resilience into maritime governance, ensuring stability and cooperation even amidst significant disruption. The insights generated here will be crucial for policymakers, legal scholars, and practitioners working to maintain peace and order in the marine environment.

How to prepare

To effectively engage with the themes of "transformations and resilience" in the Law of the Sea, delegates should undertake a comprehensive review of contemporary challenges to maritime order. This includes understanding the implications of climate change on coastal states and maritime boundaries, the impact of new technologies on navigation and resource management, and the evolving geopolitical landscape in key oceanic regions. Consider how these factors necessitate a re-evaluation of established legal principles and practices.

Delegates should also prepare to discuss specific case studies or regional issues that exemplify the conference themes. For instance, the legal implications of melting Arctic ice for navigation and resource claims, or the challenges of managing transboundary marine protected areas, could be pertinent topics. Familiarity with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and its various implementing agreements is essential, as is an understanding of the roles of international bodies like the International Seabed Authority and the International Maritime Organization. Engaging with the Model Diplomat lesson on "Dynamic Analysis" could provide a useful framework for understanding how to approach these complex, evolving legal and political issues.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 4 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Norway

A key Arctic nation with significant maritime interests, NOR advocates for responsible resource management and adherence to international law in polar regions.

Role in topic

As the host nation, NOR plays a crucial role in shaping discussions on Arctic governance, sustainable fisheries, and maritime security in its extensive coastal and offshore areas. Its perspective on balancing economic development with environmental protection within the framework of the Law of the Sea will be central.

United States

While not a party to UNCLOS, the USA generally adheres to its provisions as customary international law and champions freedom of navigation.

Role in topic

The USA's approach to maritime law, particularly its emphasis on freedom of navigation and its engagement in various maritime security initiatives, significantly influences global discussions on the Law of the Sea. Its perspective on emerging threats and the need for adaptable legal frameworks will be important.

China

CHN is a major maritime power with extensive claims in the South China Sea, often leading to disputes with neighboring countries.

Role in topic

CHN's growing naval power and its assertive stance on maritime territorial claims make its perspective on the interpretation and application of the Law of the Sea highly significant. Its views on resource exploitation, navigation rights, and dispute resolution will be a critical element of any discussion on transformations in maritime law.

Russia

RUS has significant Arctic interests and is a proponent of national sovereignty over Arctic shipping routes and resources.

Role in topic

RUS's policies regarding the Northern Sea Route and its claims to Arctic resources are central to discussions about the future of the Law of the Sea in the Arctic. Its perspective on the balance between national interests and international cooperation in polar regions will be a key point of discussion.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Geopolitical Crises and the Law of the Sea

The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was negotiated as a 'constitution for the oceans,' balancing coastal-state rights with freedoms of navigation and overflight. In recent years, that balance has been strained by overlapping geopolitical crises: Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has produced blockades, attacks on shipping in the Black Sea, and disputes over the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov; the South China Sea remains contested despite the 2016 arbitral award in Philippines v. China; and Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea since 2023 have tested rules on innocent passage, freedom of navigation, and the protection of merchant shipping. These crises raise hard questions about how UNCLOS interacts with the UN Charter's rules on the use of force, the law of naval warfare, and sanctions regimes. They also expose fragilities in dispute-settlement mechanisms when great powers refuse to participate or reject jurisdiction, and they highlight the vulnerability of undersea cables and pipelines following incidents such as the Nord Stream sabotage and Baltic Sea cable cuts. Today, states are debating whether existing law is sufficient or whether new interpretive guidance, soft-law instruments, or institutional reforms are needed to preserve a rules-based maritime order amid renewed great-power competition and regional militarization.

Key players

The Climate-Ocean Nexus and the Law of the Sea

Climate change has moved from the periphery to the center of law-of-the-sea debates. Oceans absorb roughly a quarter of anthropogenic CO2 and over 90% of excess heat, driving acidification, deoxygenation, sea-level rise, and marine heatwaves. UNCLOS Part XII obliges states to protect and preserve the marine environment, but it predates the climate regime and does not expressly address greenhouse gas emissions. The 2023 ITLOS Advisory Opinion requested by COSIS clarified that GHG emissions constitute marine pollution under Article 1(1)(4), creating due-diligence obligations for states. The ICJ's 2024-2025 advisory proceedings on climate obligations and the IACtHR's 2024 opinion further reinforced this trajectory. Sea-level rise raises existential questions for low-lying and small island states: whether baselines and maritime zones can be 'frozen,' whether statehood survives loss of territory, and how to protect populations facing displacement. The ILC's work on sea-level rise in relation to international law, and Pacific declarations on the permanence of maritime zones, are reshaping customary practice. Delegates today must consider how UNCLOS interfaces with the UNFCCC/Paris regime, the BBNJ Agreement, and emerging norms on marine carbon dioxide removal and geoengineering, and how to ensure equitable transitions for the most climate-vulnerable maritime states.

Key players

Regions and Regionalization(s) in Ocean Governance

While UNCLOS provides a universal framework, much of ocean governance operates regionally. The UNEP Regional Seas Programme, regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), and bodies such as the OSPAR Commission, the Barcelona Convention system, and the Arctic Council fill gaps left by global rules and tailor them to ecological and political realities. Regionalism is also visible in security architectures, from EU maritime strategies to ASEAN-led negotiations on a South China Sea Code of Conduct, and in economic groupings such as the African Union's Blue Economy strategy and Pacific Islands Forum positions. Regionalization has accelerated as states seek faster, more flexible cooperation on issues like IUU fishing, marine protected areas, migration at sea, and the implementation of the BBNJ Agreement. Yet regional fragmentation also creates risks: overlapping mandates, uneven participation by major powers, and the marginalization of states that fall between regions or lack capacity. The debate now turns on how to harmonize regional regimes with the global UNCLOS order, how to ensure equitable representation, and whether regional bodies can effectively address transboundary challenges such as climate change, plastic pollution, and contested maritime boundaries.

Key players

Systemic Integration of the Law of the Sea in a Time of Uncertainty

The law of the sea does not operate in isolation. Article 31(3)(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties requires interpreters to take into account 'relevant rules of international law applicable in the relations between the parties' — the principle of systemic integration. UNCLOS itself contains numerous 'rules of reference' to other regimes, including the IMO's safety and pollution conventions, ILO labor standards for seafarers, and biodiversity instruments. The 2023 BBNJ Agreement explicitly seeks coherence with existing frameworks, while the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement (2022) intersects with UNCLOS fisheries obligations. Systemic integration has become more difficult amid institutional proliferation, contested treaty interpretation, and geopolitical fragmentation. Tribunals such as ITLOS, ICJ, and Annex VII panels have drawn on climate, human rights, and environmental law to interpret UNCLOS, but inconsistencies and jurisdictional turf wars persist. Recent advisory opinions on climate change demonstrate both the promise and the limits of cross-regime coherence. Delegates must consider how to maintain UNCLOS as a coherent framework while integrating norms from climate, human rights, trade, and biodiversity regimes, and how to manage interpretive divergence when key powers stand outside particular treaties.

Key players

The Resilience of the Law of the Sea

UNCLOS has proven remarkably durable since its entry into force in 1994, accommodating new issues from piracy off Somalia to deep-sea genetic resources. Its resilience rests on a combination of detailed rules, framework provisions, institutional pillars (ITLOS, ISA, CLCS), and compulsory dispute settlement under Part XV. The 1994 Implementation Agreement on Part XI, the 1995 Fish Stocks Agreement, and the 2023 BBNJ Agreement illustrate the regime's capacity to evolve without reopening the core text. Yet resilience is being tested. Non-compliance with arbitral awards, withdrawal threats, contested maritime claims, and the rise of grey-zone tactics challenge enforcement. Climate change, deep-sea mining pressures, autonomous vessels, and the militarization of strategic chokepoints raise questions about whether incremental adaptation suffices or whether structural reforms are needed. This topic invites delegates to assess what has made the regime resilient, where stress fractures are most visible, and how to reinforce its legitimacy and effectiveness without destabilizing the underlying bargain among coastal, flag, port, and landlocked states.

Key players

Architectural Strains in the Law of the Sea

The institutional architecture established by UNCLOS — ITLOS, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) — is under increasing pressure. The ISA faces a contested push by some sponsoring states and contractors to begin commercial deep-sea mining in the Area, while other states call for a moratorium or precautionary pause; the absence of an agreed Mining Code has produced a governance gap exposed by Nauru's 2021 'two-year rule' trigger. The CLCS has a substantial backlog of submissions, including overlapping Arctic claims by Russia, Canada, and Denmark, complicated by climate-driven access. Dispute settlement under Part XV faces strain from non-appearance, jurisdictional objections, and politically charged advisory requests. Meanwhile, the BBNJ Agreement adds new institutional layers — a Conference of the Parties, Scientific and Technical Body, and Clearing-House Mechanism — that must coordinate with existing bodies. Funding shortfalls, capacity gaps for developing states, and uneven participation amplify these strains. Delegates should examine where the architecture is overloaded, under-resourced, or contested, and how to reform or reinforce institutions to meet present demands.

Key players

Technological Acceleration(s) at Sea

Rapid technological change is outpacing the legal framework drafted in the 1970s and 1980s. Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) are the subject of an ongoing IMO regulatory scoping exercise, raising questions about the meaning of 'master,' 'crew,' and flag-state responsibility. Unmanned underwater vehicles complicate concepts of innocent passage, marine scientific research, and military activities in the EEZ. Submarine cables, which carry over 95% of international data, face threats from sabotage and inadequate protection under UNCLOS Articles 113-115. Deep-sea mining technology, marine genetic resources, ocean-based carbon dioxide removal, offshore renewables, and AI-driven surveillance and fisheries enforcement all test UNCLOS categories. The BBNJ Agreement's provisions on marine genetic resources and digital sequence information mark a first attempt to address some of these issues, but many gaps remain. Dual-use technologies blur lines between civilian, scientific, and military activities. Delegates must consider how to adapt UNCLOS-based regimes, IMO instruments, and regional frameworks to govern emerging technologies while preserving navigational freedoms, environmental protection, and equitable benefit-sharing.

Key players

Freedoms of the Seas and Spheres of Influence

The freedom of the seas, articulated by Grotius in 1609 and codified in UNCLOS through rights of navigation, overflight, transit passage, and high-seas freedoms, has long been in tension with coastal-state jurisdiction and great-power assertions of regional primacy. Today that tension is sharpened by competing visions of order: the United States and allies frame freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) as defense of universal rules, while China's 'nine-dash line' and historic-rights claims in the South China Sea, Russia's assertions in the Arctic and Black Sea, and various coastal-state restrictions in EEZs reflect alternative conceptions of maritime space. Disputes over military activities in the EEZ, the regime of straits used for international navigation (Hormuz, Malacca, Bab el-Mandeb, Taiwan, Kerch), and the status of archipelagic sea lanes illustrate how freedoms intersect with security. Smaller states often find themselves navigating between competing spheres of influence, balancing access to markets and security guarantees against pressure to align. Delegates must assess how UNCLOS-based freedoms can be preserved amid contested geopolitical orders, and whether new understandings, confidence-building measures, or interpretive consensus are needed.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for NCLOS Annual Conference 2026: Swinging Tides — Transformations and Resilience in the Law of the Sea.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

Trump's Legal Battles Impact 2026 Elections

GOP Approval Plummets

Cardinals Chase Fourth Win vs Struggling Ast

Europe's June Heatwave: Infrastructure Crisis

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Persuasion & Influence

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Norway November 2026

By committee

Frequently asked questions

NCLOS Annual Conference 2026: Swinging Tides — Transformations and Resilience in the Law of the Sea

Nov 3–5, 2026Tromsø, NorwayIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
Geopolitical Crises and the Law of the Sea · The Climate-Ocean Nexus and the Law of the Sea · Regions and Regionalization(s) in Ocean Governance · Systemic Integration of the Law of the Sea in a Time of Uncertainty · The Resilience of the Law of the Sea · Architectural Strains in the Law of the Sea · Technological Acceleration(s) at Sea · Freedoms of the Seas and Spheres of Influence

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 4 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Norway

A key Arctic nation with significant maritime interests, NOR advocates for responsible resource management and adherence to international law in polar regions.

Role in topic

United States

While not a party to UNCLOS, the USA generally adheres to its provisions as customary international law and champions freedom of navigation.

Role in topic

China

CHN is a major maritime power with extensive claims in the South China Sea, often leading to disputes with neighboring countries.

Role in topic

Russia

RUS has significant Arctic interests and is a proponent of national sovereignty over Arctic shipping routes and resources.

Role in topic

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Geopolitical Crises and the Law of the Sea

Key players

The Climate-Ocean Nexus and the Law of the Sea

Key players

Regions and Regionalization(s) in Ocean Governance

Key players

Systemic Integration of the Law of the Sea in a Time of Uncertainty

Key players

The Resilience of the Law of the Sea

Key players

Architectural Strains in the Law of the Sea

Key players

Technological Acceleration(s) at Sea

Key players

Freedoms of the Seas and Spheres of Influence

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for NCLOS Annual Conference 2026: Swinging Tides — Transformations and Resilience in the Law of the Sea.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

Trump's Legal Battles Impact 2026 Elections

GOP Approval Plummets

Cardinals Chase Fourth Win vs Struggling Ast

Europe's June Heatwave: Infrastructure Crisis

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Persuasion & Influence

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Norway November 2026

By committee

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Related conferences

Oslo Security Conference 2026

Arctic Frontiers 2026

A Norwegian Reflection on Human Security in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape

Words Matter! 2026

Poland and Norway facing turbulent times – how can they improve their cooperation?

Navigating the new world order. Are we in a middle power moment?

Frequently asked questions

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Related conferences

Oslo Security Conference 2026

Arctic Frontiers 2026

A Norwegian Reflection on Human Security in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape

Words Matter! 2026

Poland and Norway facing turbulent times – how can they improve their cooperation?

Navigating the new world order. Are we in a middle power moment?

Frequently asked questions