Dr Leonardo Bernard1, Dr Michelle Voyer1, Dr Sarah Lothian1, Dr Frances Anggadi1, Dr Prakash Gopal1
1Ancors, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Biography:
Dr Leonardo Bernard is a Senior Lecturer at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) at the University of Wollongong. Leo is an accomplished legal professional and academic with extensive experience in international and ocean law. At ANCORS, Leo coordinates and teaches courses on international law and law of the sea, provides training to government officials from various countries, and supervises postgraduate students on maritime research projects. Leo has researched and written extensively on the law of the sea issues such as the continental shelf, maritime boundary disputes, and the application of historic rights under international law.
Abstract:
Australia is a key stakeholder in regional efforts to evolve robust maritime governance frameworks, mitigate effects of climate change, and to protect the marine environment. Australia contributes to several initiatives with states in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, and with multilateral organisations such as the Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). This panel examines Australia’s contributions to four critical aspects of maritime governance in the region, namely; 1) the legal and security implications of sea-level rise; 2) the policy and governance issues related to offshore wind as a clean energy source; 3) the opportunities and challenges presented by the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement; and 4) maritime security efforts as enablers of effective maritime governance. Each presentation in this panel will seek to highlight challenges and propose policy options for Australia’s contributions to be meaningful and effective.