Can private companies turn the common heritage of mankind into a contractual weapon? This post examines NORI, TOML and the Seabed Disputes Chamber’s first Orders—and what they mean for deep-sea mining before exploitation begins. https://ow.ly/VJer50Zu5Xe

The International Seabed Authority is brought to the Seabed Disputes Chamber by two of its contractors, following the Authority’s intention to investigate their possible non-compliance. Is it an attempt to undermine UNCLOS? Will they win? https://ow.ly/5pAP50ZcMnb

This analysis by Shani Friedman aims to provide initial assessment of the new legal framework on Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) and possibly identify areas for further consideration. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/a-new-...

New position open at CIL: Research Fellow, ASEAN Law and Policy Programme | The Research Fellow will work under the supervision of the Head of the ASEAN Law and Policy Programme, Professor Joseph Weiler. https://careers.nus.edu.sg/job/Research-Fellow-%28ASEAN-Law-and-Policy-Programme%29/33151-en_GB/

A new U.S. deep-sea mining application tests the limits of the UNCLOS system. This intervention explores how activities outside the ISA framework signal growing strain on multilateral governance of the Area. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/anothe...

The case of The Gambia v. Myanmar before the ICJ represents a landmark opportunity for the doctrine of jus cogens. Yet the proceedings largely overlook genocide as a serious breach of a peremptory norm and its consequences under State responsibility. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-ga...

The torpedoing of IRIS Dena ~40nm off Sri Lanka is a stark reminder: naval hostilities may occur within the 200nm EEZ, making spillover into neutral EEZs a foreseeable reality. Is it time for Southeast Asia to voice its position? cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/armed-...

The WTO Belongs to the Future — But How Do We Get There? 🌐From climate to AI, modern trade is outpacing its rules. Prof Gabrielle Marceau & Jian Ling Teo explore alternative rulemaking paths to address the WTO consensus deadlock. Read here cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-wo...

Ahead of its 31st session, issues on equitable benefit sharing remain on the table for the International Seabed Authority. This post reviews mechanisms under Arts. 82 and 140(2) of UNCLOS, exploring how they can achieve equity as distributive justice. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-is...

In this commentary, Alexandra Hofer argues that the US’s kidnapping of Venezuela’s and the weak responses from ‘the West’ expose how international law often masks power politics, now brought out in the open under President Trump. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/what-t...

From unlawful force to credible threats, the line is thinning fast. Greenland and Taiwan expose how security talk and inevitability hollow out Article 2(4). International law was meant to stop this before force is used. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/threat...

International law did not emerge from a single centre. This blog proposes a Silk Road methodology that rethinks international law as a product of transregional connectivity, cross-civilisational interaction, and long-term Eurasian legal histories. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/intern...

Imperialism, Sovereignty & the Making of International Law at 20 | This symposium not only celebrates the 20th anniversary of ISMIL but builds on its indispensable insights to understand the current historical moment as a particular combination of continuity & rupture. cil.nus.edu.sg/blog/symposi...

In this commentary, Liu Yulu discusses the development from UNEA resolution 5/14 to the current challenges hindering the adoption of a global plastic treaty, and what states can do to cross the finish line. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/from-n...

Joel Ong’s CIL blog examines gaps in IMO liability conventions for spills of emerging alternative fuels (e.g., methanol, ammonia) and sets out reform options and pathways forward. Read cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/fillin...

In the second instalment of this series, Miguel Jaime Encarnacion discusses the enhancements made to the e-commerce chapter of the AANZFTA. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-aa...

In this blog post, Dr. Hazrati explains the implications of the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the energy transition, fossil fuel phase-out, and just transition, as well as its potential impacts on COP talks and global climate action. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-ic...

The ICJ's advisory opinion on climate change is a significant expansion in the law of standing for the enforcement of obligations erga omnes. This post by Priya Urs explains how, while also identifying deficiencies in the Court's reasoning. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/open-t...

Critical legal scholar 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗲 offers a sharp, insightful commentary on the @CIL Peace and International Law Symposium, engaging deeply with its contributions and challenging dominant narratives on peace, justice, and the global legal order. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/commen...

7 Breakthrough Insights from the Inter-American Court’s Climate Advisory Opinion. Dr. Mohammad Hazrati explores how this historic opinion advances climate justice and human rights through bold legal innovations. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/seven-...

Having witnessed war’s horrors, Tommy Koh champions that international law can promote peace. From UNCLOS to the Paris Agreement and the Indus Waters Treaty, law has helped resolve disputes and end conflicts—proof that peace and law go hand in hand. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/a-mess...

This article examines the AANZFTA’s Second Protocol from two perspectives: integrating modern trade practices and their impact on business utilization. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-aa...

Peace through the ASEAN Way of diplomacy, consensus, and non-interference has promoted regional stability and cooperation in ASEAN, and managed interstate disputes while respecting sovereignty. However, internal conflicts remain challenging to address. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-as...

The EU’s integration, rooted in post-WWII peacebuilding, limits state sovereignty through economic and legal cooperation. This unique supranational model replaces war with lasting peace by uniting diverse nations into a “federalism without federation.” cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/for-a-...

This post analyses the role regional human rights courts play as peacemakers and peacekeepers. Regional tribunals might help establish the conditions for a peaceful society, restoration of peace, and prevent further internal/international conflicts. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/region...

This blog post explores the history and function of the PCA and the ICJ, two institutions designed to promote peace through law. Preventing war, judging war? The post examines this tension in the role and practice of these courts. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/peace-...

This post proposes that Article 39 of the UN Charter should be re-read along with Article 24(1) in the language of peace for the UNSC to carry out its ‘primary’ responsibility for maintaining international peace and security effectively. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/re-rea...

Provisional measures requests at the ICJ can stabilize conflicts by preserving rights and diplomacy, but risk politicising disputes, legal uncertainty, and overburdening the Court. Clearer rules and coordination could enhance their peacebuilding role. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/multip...

International law recognizes non-State armed groups in peace deals, but lasting peace needs wider inclusion of diverse non-State actors. Engaging broader communities boosts legitimacy and public support, making peace processes more durable and effective. cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/the-ar...

Women’s participation in peace processes through instruments like CEDAW and UNSC Resolution 1325 suffer from weak enforcement and elite-driven negotiations which limit impact. Stronger legal obligations + accountability would ensure meaningful inclusion cil.nus.edu.sg/blogs/what-r...