[MTOCLOS] Revisions?

[Ric]

This discussion is open for member states of the MTO Convention of the Law of the Seas.

Chryse wishes to raise the following questions for discussion:

Merging reserve zones with territorial waters
- Remove reserve zones, instead let the territorial waters cover them

Redefine the km to degrees
- All border treaties referencing the MTO CLOS have used km but indicated maps by degrees. The world isn't flat, the Micras map only shows degrees and is valid for km only at the equator.

As such it would make more sense if we redefine the borders to degrees, translating 360 km to 3 degrees (which on the equator would amount to 360 km).

In reality it would mean that one's territorial waters would be wider if located further to the poles, but since de facto is the rule we have used since the implemenation of the convention, it would de facto mean no difference, only a de jure difference (but de jure we haven't followed that provision).

[Nathan]

The reserve zone and territorial water distinction is important to keep, I think, because "territorial waters" often prevents international transit. In areas where a lot of coastal and island nations are together, this will make seaways impassable and international trade impossible. But it's important to keep the reserve/economic zones too so that states can fully utilize the resources in their surrounding waters, island nations in particular.

[Ric]

Fair, but what about the other point?

[Nathan]

On one hand I've never used degrees to refer to anything on Micras so it's a little hard to visualize it. On the other hand, using km in the text of treaties ensures that a reserve zone is the same "actual" area even if its not accurately shown on a map. I think the main problem is people (i.e. ME) drawing MTOCLOS maps without taking into consideration the map's distortion closer to the poles.

[Edgard]

On one hand I've never used degrees to refer to anything on Micras so it's a little hard to visualize it. On the other hand, using km in the text of treaties ensures that a reserve zone is the same "actual" area even if its not accurately shown on a map. I think the main problem is people (i.e. ME) drawing MTOCLOS maps without taking into consideration the map's distortion closer to the poles.

Agreed. I think moving to degrees is going to be too complicated and inaccessible to most folks. I say we just leave it how it is.

[Ric]

I see no agreement to move ahead with this. Thank you gentlemen for engaging with me nonetheless!

[Ric]

I tried doing Elwynn's waters to show the territorial and reserve waters here. You see how bizarre it gets the further north in Elwynn you go.

Spoiler!

[Nathan]

I guess that's just how these types of maps end of looking (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive ... _World.svg)

Aside from drawing these maps on a globe I'm not sure how to easily solve this problem. At least what you've done here demonstrates certain areas that look like international waters on the flat map are, in fact, territorial waters.