Comments on: Sinking in the Deep Blue Sea http://scienceinmyfiction.com/2012/10/22/sinking-in-the-deep-blue-sea/ "I like a little science in my fiction" Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:55:23 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Peggy http://scienceinmyfiction.com/2012/10/22/sinking-in-the-deep-blue-sea/comment-page-1/#comment-18540 Peggy Thu, 01 Nov 2012 22:43:24 +0000 http://scienceinmyfiction.com/?p=3235#comment-18540 Since the legal situation is a bit uncertain, I wonder if this could eventually lead to devastating environmental war with tit-for-tat retaliation by coastal communities that are affected.

]]> By: Peter Erwin http://scienceinmyfiction.com/2012/10/22/sinking-in-the-deep-blue-sea/comment-page-1/#comment-18366 Peter Erwin Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:02:00 +0000 http://scienceinmyfiction.com/?p=3235#comment-18366 The Nature editorial linked to by the Smithsonian blog post mentions some of the legal issues involved — e.g., “The London Convention and Protocol, a legal body within the framework of the international Law of the Sea, which regulates dumping and marine pollution …”

There is no interplanetary law…

That’s not entirely true. But, yes, there is clearly a lot of uncertainty involved there.

Or creating land masses/undersea kingdoms in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Or doing something in the fragile Antarctic? Who has jurisdiction in those areas?

As I understand it, any ships involved in such activities (and I’m sure this would include submarines) would fall under the jurisdiction of whatever nation the ships are registered with, and the activities of individuals are subject to the jurisdiction of whatever nation(s) they are citizens of (see, e.g., this Straight Dope column).

As for activities in the Antarctic, that might be covered by the Antarctic Treaty System — e.g., the Protocol on Environmental Protection

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