Submissions to the commission on the limits of the continental shelf: Practice and controversies

Abstract

The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has been analysing submissions for extension of the continental shelf for the last 20 years. As a scientific and technical body, the CLCS is mandated to examine the coastal states’ submissions according to geological and geomorphological criteria, which sometimes implies a qualitative reasoning that allows this panel to carry out its functions. In some other instances, the CLCS faces situations which require an interpretation beyond geophysical factors. Under those circumstances, the CLCS refrains from making interpretations as certain issues go beyond a scientific–technical assessment.