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While some still debate whether or not climate change is a reality, oneof its impacts, sea level rise, is factual. The cause and the rate of sea levelrise might have been inconclusive but its impacts have been clearly felt.Sea level rise can also change the legal status of insular features (smallislands/rocks and low tide elevation) that will also affect their capacityin making maritime claim. For an archipelagic State like Indonesia, smallouter islands/rocks or low-tide elevation are important for location ofbasepoints forming the entire system of archipelagic baselines. Thispaper investigates the impact of sea level rise to the change of baselinesand maritime limits a coastal state may claim. On the other hand, thereis a need to have fixed maritime limits for better management and tobalance rights and duties of coastal to the ocean. This paper providesoptions on how Indonesia as a coastal and archipelagic State can fixtheir baselines and or maritime limits in the face of coastal instabilitydue to sea level rise as a consequence of climate change. |
