Trump's Coastal Policy Threatens Equal State Management Rights

At the 2026 International Coastal Management Conference in Geneva, representatives from 45 coastal states adopted a joint declaration affirming that the right to manage the coast should remain equal under the law for all coastal states. The declaration was signed by governments, legal experts, and representatives of regional fisheries and marine conservation bodies.

The declaration builds on the 1992 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and calls for harmonization of national legal frameworks with international standards. It stresses that coastal management rights—including resource exploitation, environmental protection, and disaster risk reduction—must be granted equally, regardless of a country’s size or economic capacity. The document also proposes a global monitoring mechanism to track compliance and facilitate technical assistance.

By codifying equal legal status for coastal management, the declaration is expected to influence national legislation and strengthen international cooperation, ensuring that all coastal states can exercise their rights and responsibilities on a level playing field.