The Pacific island region is comprised of a number of nations spread across a large ocean area. The region is also biologically and culturally diverse, nevertheless the countries share some commonalities. Relevantly, each of the countries is legally pluralist creating a complex context for law-...

Since gaining independence 30 years ago Samoa has been proactive in returning control of government, land and resources to traditional owners. The most recent challenges have been in the areas of biodiversity conservation and the creation of sustainable livelihoods. Samoa has taken a progressive...

At a time when many developed countries are searching for alternatives to national park schemes, some of the less wealthy nations have already adopted other sustainable mechanisms for protected area management. Vanuatu is one such country - a nation that has retained a surprisingly rich cultural...

Achieving biodiversity conservation whilst addressing the broader aims of sustainable development, is presenting a challenge for countries the world over. This is particularly so for small island developing states. Top down legal approaches have had limited success and attention has now turned...

This paper was presented at the Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law. It examines the lessons learned from the Southern Bluefin Tuna litigation, the strategies and considerations for pursuing litigation against Japan to protect whale species and in...

Iran has been an active middle power that has engaged with the International Court of Justice in cases involving Iran’s adversaries at critical points in its history. This engagement has spanned a period of almost 70 years and encompassed Iran’s 1953 coup d’état, the 1978 Iranian...

The oceans have long been a space of contestation between States. States assert and defend claims related to ocean space, use and resources to promote and protect military, economic, social and strategic interests. States’ claims may prompt diverse reactions that hold both political and legal...