The continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles: Rights and responsibilities by Joanna Mossop Published by Oxford University Press, 2016, 278 pp., £85.00, hardback.

• Date: 01 November 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12384
• Author: Richard Caddell
• Published date: 01 November 2020

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     BOOK REVIEWS

Kohler gathered data from participant observations and elite in-

terviews, which help bring to life the tenets of the discussions held

during those ne gotiations. To conclude t he research, C hapter 6

makes the case th at SABs may help build a sense of globa l environ-

mental constitutionalism, which could benefit from SABs’ negotia-

tions. The simil arities between ME As (in terms of procedu res) would

further en able norm productio n and cross-referencing acro ss differ-

ent MEAs. Kohl er provides an ex tensive list of norms found across

the three MEA s analysed in the cas e studies. These refl ections offer

interesting fo od for thought an d open up interes ting compariso ns

with addition al MEAs and th eir respect ive influence. For ex am-

ple, the SAB of the C onvention on Biolo gical Diversi ty (CBD) – the

Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

– has also faced dif ficulties in offering ef fective scientific advi ce to

the CBD’s COP. It would therefore h ave been interesting f or this SAB

to be evaluated in pa rallel to the boo k’s case studi es. The chapter

concludes by high lighting the main i nsights from th e case studie s,

and answering t he questions p osed at the star t of the book. F irst,

the knowledge p roduced by SABs is als o influenced by th e imple-

mentation of dec isions on SABs’ mandate and membe rship that are

taken by MEAs’ CO Ps. Thus, the input f rom science to policy unfo lds

not in a linear proce ss, but in the form of a dialogue bet ween SABs

and COPs. Secon d, democratiz ing scientific a dvice at the intern a-

tional level goes h and in hand with acknowledging l ocal knowledge

through appropriate membership and increased participation and

representation of both stakeholders and nongovernmental organiza-

tions, as exempli fied through the int ervention of the Join t Inspection

Unit with regard t o the CST.

In times where sc ientific advi ce is being scruti nized more than

ever in global (enviro nmental) governance, it is crit ical to remember

what constitutes reliable scientific advice, namely credibility, sa-

lience and legit imacy. These are precis ely the elements t hat are care-

fully carve d out in this book, which make s it a timely contribution t o

evaluate any SAB, w hether in national or internatio nal settings and

in the fields of env ironmental or health pr otection and beyond.

Mara R. Wendebourg

The Dickson Poon S chool of Law, King’s College Lon don, London,

UK

ORCID

Mara R. Wendebourg https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6104-5945

DOI: 10 .1111/reel .12384

THE CONTINENTAL SHELF BEYOND 200 NAUTICAL

MILES: RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES by Joanna

Mossop

Published by O xford Universit y Press, 2016, 278 pp., £85 .00, hardback .

BOOK RE VIEWThe regulation of the outer continental shelf remains

an intriguing an d evolving issue for t he law of the sea. Th ere is a

substantial l iterature concernin g the application of Ar ticle 76 of the

United Nations Co nvention on the L aw of the Sea 1982 (LOSC),

under which States may claim an outer continental shelf extending

beyond the ort hodox 200 nau tical mile limit , and the recomm en-

datory prac tices applie d by the Commission o n the Limits of th e

Continental S helf (CLCS) in discharg ing these claims. Wh at happens

next, however, is rath er less clear. The use of these are as generally

remains at a relati vely early sta ge, due to technol ogical or com-

mercial limita tions and the prot racted proce ss of fully claiming an

outer continent al shelf. However, with a growing number of c laims

having now been set tled by the CLC S, and with techn ical capac-

ity developin g apace, there is an e merging body of St ate practice

framing both the utilization of these expanded seabed entitlements

by coastal State s and their relat ionships with oth er States using

the superjacent water column. Nevertheless, the conditions under

which such act ivities may be pursued remain s omething of a work

in progress. In t his lively and infor mative work, Joa nna Mossop

considers how th e regulatory frame work has emerged and evol ved,

and how this ‘fin al frontier’ fo r the law of the sea may de velop in

the future.

The Continental Sh elf Beyond 200 Nautic al Miles: Rights a nd

Responsibilities compr ises 10 substantive chapters, d emarcated into

three broad se ctions in which Mossop provide s an overview of the

continental sh elf regime, considers the l egal issues arising from par-

ticular acti vities in these a reas and latte rly examines th e scope for

States to take unila teral and multilateral act ions to protect their in-

terests over these extended jurisdictional entitlements. Following a

concise introdu ction, Chapter 2 sets the reg ulatory context for the

book by outlinin g the main interests and ac tivities incumbent in th e

outer continent al shelf. Mossop highlig hts at a preliminar y stage that

States are both pr ivileged users of valuable natu ral and minera l re-

sources, as well as c ustodians of what m ay also be fragile , diverse

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