Prof. Steven Haines, a formal navy officer turned academic, and trustee of the Human Rights at Sea, was elected a Fellow of the Nautical Institute (FNI) in 1995 and a Member of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (Sanremo, Italy) in 2010.
Most recently (2019), he was elected as President/Chair of the UK Group of the International Society for Military Law and the Laws of War
Haines gave a fascinating seminar at the University of Greenwich which helped us explore how little we knew about the better half of Earth's surface – the oceans.
His presentation covered how the world got to the end of the Groatian Era, the unregulated seas era, to the current system of unenforceable rules. With an analysis of eight dimensions, Steven presented the main drivers towards a safer, legislated system, including the increased use of ocean-based resources, growing world population and technological advancements.
The importance of rules in stopping cruel pirate attacks, punishing crimes beyond the 12-mile of the coast threshold as well as the cessation of sea-pollution practices became a priority in the past century, leading to a time where there is not a minimalist approach to ocean regulation.
But this is still not enough – Prof. Haines explained that while significant improvements have taken place, the case of an underaged girl being raped on a boat in high seas is simply a jurisdictional vacuum.
What is the future to hold for governing the oceans? The question still remains.
Thank you for reading, for more information on the Big Picture Seminars, please click here.
