International Seabed Authority

T## he International Seabed Authority (ISA):

is an intergovernmental organization of 167 member states and the European Union established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and its 1994 Agreement on Implementation. The ISA is headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica.

The ISA’s dual mission is to:

• Organize and control mining activities in the international seabed, which is considered the “common heritage of mankind.”
• Protect the marine environment from potential harm caused by mining activities.

The ISA exercises jurisdiction over the Area, which is defined as the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. The Area covers approximately half of the Earth’s surface.

The ISA’s main functions include:

• Granting exploration and exploitation contracts for mineral resources in the Area.
• Monitoring and regulating mining activities to ensure that they are conducted in a sustainable manner and do not cause undue harm to the marine environment.
• Promoting and facilitating scientific research on the Area.
• Ensuring that the benefits from mining activities in the Area are shared equitably with all member states.

Assembly

The ISA’s governing body is the Assembly, which is composed of all member states. The Assembly meets once a year to adopt the ISA’s budget, approve exploration and exploitation contracts, and provide guidance on the ISA’s work.

Council

The ISA’s executive body is the Council, which is composed of 36 member states elected by the Assembly. The Council meets twice a year to approve exploration and exploitation plans, monitor the ISA’s budget, and make recommendations to the Assembly.

Secretariat

The ISA’s secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, who is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the ISA.

The ISA is a relatively new organization, having been established in 1994. However, it has already played an important role in regulating the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in the international seabed. The ISA is also working to develop a framework for the sustainable mining of deep seabed minerals, which are becoming increasingly important as demand for these minerals grows.

In addition to its core functions, the ISA also plays a number of other important roles. For example, the ISA provides training and capacity-building assistance to developing countries to help them participate in the exploration and exploitation of deep seabed minerals. The ISA also promotes public awareness of the importance of the international seabed and the need to protect its marine environment.

The ISA is a vital institution for the sustainable management of the international seabed. The ISA’s work is essential to ensuring that the benefits of deep seabed mining are shared equitably with all member states and that the marine environment is protected.

Here are some additional details about the ISA’s work:

• The ISA has developed a set of Mining Regulations to ensure that mining activities in the Area are conducted in a sustainable manner and do not cause undue harm to the marine environment.
• The ISA has established a Legal and Technical Commission to provide advice on the interpretation and application of the UNCLOS and the ISA’s Mining Regulations.
• The ISA has established a Seabed Disputes Chamber to resolve disputes arising from activities in the Area.
• The ISA has established a Finance Committee to oversee the ISA’s budget and financial resources.
• The ISA has established a Marine Environment Division to monitor the marine environment in the Area and to develop measures to protect the marine environment from potential harm caused by mining activities.

The ISA is a complex and dynamic organization. It is playing an increasingly important role in the sustainable management of the international seabed and its resources.