Equal-Access Extraction: Necessary Revisions to the Extent of the 1920 Svalbard Treaty Due to Norway's Deep-Sea Mining Decision

Authors

• Louden J. Keihl

Recommended Citation

Louden J. Keihl, Equal-Access Extraction: Necessary Revisions to the Extent of the 1920 Svalbard Treaty Due to Norway's Deep-Sea Mining Decision, 58 Case W. Res. J. Int'l L. 799 (2026)
Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/jil/vol58/iss1/26

Abstract

Svalbard’s 100-year-old governing treaty, the Svalbard Treaty, has been the cause of several disputes regarding its applicability to maritime zones not developed at the time of its negotiation. This Note argues that, considering Svalbard’s importance, the different treaty parties should renegotiate and revise the Svalbard Treaty to clarify ambiguities regarding its geographic scope. The reasons why the dispute has not been solved to date and the differing views on the Treaty’s geographic scope are also discussed. Potential clarifying language is proposed and analyzed. (from the author)