Marine spatial planning in the Bay of Bengal sub-region in South Asia

Daud Hassan, Emdadul Haque

    Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapter

    4 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The Bay of Bengal is a lobe of the Indian Ocean that forms a roughly oval shape, measuring 1,800 km at its widest point and 1,500 km at its longest point, and covering an area of nearly 2.2 million km2. The countries fronting the Bay of Bengal sub-region in South Asia (hereinafter ‘the region’) are Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. The region is one of the least explored marine areas of the world (Bissinger, 2010, p.113). It has remained unexplored mainly because of the non-settlement delimitation disputes among the three littoral states. The littoral states were also unwilling to explore offshore resources because their land-based resources were in apex use. As a result of the settlement of the marine boundaries disputes between Bangladesh and Myanmar in 2012 by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), and because of the increasing demands for energy to boost economic development, all the littoral states are now actively considering the exploration of their offshore resources, either on their own or by leasing to foreign oil and gas companies. However, increased use of the Bay is having a negative impact on the marine environment, as evidenced in the loss of marine biodiversity, increased pollution and habitat depletion. An improved planning and management system, which emphasizes a balance between economic development and environmental conservation (not only conservation but also prevention of problems) are, therefore, urgent and imperative for the well-being of the region. The settlement of maritime boundary delimitation between Bangladesh and Myanmar has brought to the forefront the need for transboundary marine spatial planning (MSP) between Bangladesh and Myanmar. A transboundary MSP for the region will provide for a holistic approach to sustainable sea use management, and for the sustainable development of the countries in the region. This chapter explains MSP from socio-economic and environmental perspectives, and considers their legal aspects. It then examines the potential for a transboundary MSP for the region, and concludes with recommendations based on development of MSP as a useful instrument for the integrated and sustainable management of marine and coastal areas around the world, including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationTransboundary Marine Spatial Planning and International Law
    EditorsDaud Hassan, Tuomas Kuokkanen, Niko Soininen
    Place of PublicationU.K.
    PublisherRoutledge
    Pages202-218
    Number of pages17
    ISBN (Electronic)9781315816425
    ISBN (Print)9780415739702
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

    Keywords

    • Bengal, Bay of
    • international law
    • law of the sea
    • marine ecosystem management

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