Sin ciencia no hay commons marinobases legales que impulsan la investigación científica marina en la Zona

Abstract

The Area, as a common heritage of humanity, is a commons system. This conception establishes the relationship of humanity with the seabed. The proliferation of marine activities has facilitated access to resources, but this does not imply progress towards precise knowledge of the structure and limitations of this system. Based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and from the ostromnian perspective on common pool resources, the article analyzes some legal aspects that affect the institutional design of activities in the Area, specifically in the development of marine scientific research. The study shows that, in the same way that the International Seabed Authority promotes the work to regulate exploitation activities for the coming decades, it is necessary to develop, with the same emphasis and care, a regulatory framework that promotes scientific research under the parameters of the marine commons.