Ecological Dynamism and the Law of the Sea: Spatial, Ecosystemic, and Anthropogenic Variability

The ocean is inherently dynamic, yet the law governing it is often built around assumptions of stability and predictability. This article examines the extent to which the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( LOSC ) reflects ecological dynamism. It develops an analytical framework based on three dimensions of ecological variability: spatial, ecosystemic, and anthropogenic. Applying this framework, however, the LOSC remains rooted in a largely static conception of the marine environment, reflected in its zonal structure, equilibrium-based approaches to resource management, and persistent separation of humans and nature. At the same time, the LOSC has demonstrated considerable normative flexibility, gradually incorporating more dynamic concepts and approaches through interpretation, State practice, and related agreements. While such evolution has enhanced the Convention’s ecological responsiveness, it has not fundamentally displaced the static assumptions embedded in its original design.