消失的国家:海平面上升对国际法的挑战及应对

The Disappearance of State: Sea Level Rise and the Response of International Law

气候变化和海平面上升给国际社会特别是低洼沿海国家带来严重威胁,也对国际法带来重大挑战。低洼、偏远的(发展中)小岛屿国家可能将逐步被淹没,引发包括海洋边界、国家主体地位、新的无国籍状态、跨境气候难民人权保护等诸多复杂法律问题。海平面上升可能从根本上改变海岸线,给岛屿、基线和全球海洋边界带来不确定性,增加国家间海洋权益争端。《联合国海洋法公约》尚未澄清导致领海基线后退的海平面上升是否会影响沿海国管辖海域的外部边界。海洋法、国际环境法、国际人权法等尚未能为国家应对该危机提供规则支持。《维也纳条约法公约》第62条不支持将海平面上升作为国家可单方面终止边界条约的情势变更。永久固定或冻结基线将促进海域边界的稳定并有利于海洋划界。一个领土"物理"丧失或不适宜居住的国家应能继续保持其"国家"地位,但其生存与海域管辖权行使将面临难题。

Climate change and sea level rise create important challenges for the international community in general and for low-lying coastal states in particular. Low-lying,remote(developing) small island countries may gradually be submerged,causing many complex legal issues,such as the sea border,statehood,new statelessness,human rights protection of the cross-border climate refugees. Rising sea levels could radically alter coastlines,bringing uncertainty to islands,baselines and global maritime boundaries and increasing maritime disputes between nations. UNCLOS has not yet clarified whether rising sea levels,which cause the territorial baseline to recede,will affect the outer boundaries of coastal waters.The law of the sea,international environmental law and international human rights law have not yet provided rule support for countries to deal with the crisis. Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties does not regard sea-level rise as a change of circumstances in which states can unilaterally terminate border treaties. Permanent fixation or freezing of baselines will promote stability in the location of limits of maritime zones and also in maritime delimitation boundaries. A state whose territory is lost or unfit to live should be able to maintain its "state"status,but its survival and exercise of maritime jurisdiction will face difficulties.