As the world races toward a greener future, demand for critical materials is surging. In this high-stakes hunt for resources, the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction (the “Area”) is increasingly seen as the next “El Dorado”. However, regulations governing its exploitation have yet to be finalized due to mounting environmental concerns, which prompted several stakeholders…

In a year marked in France by the Paris Olympics and political instability, 2024 proved to be somewhat less eventful in terms of arbitration-related developments than previous ones (see 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020). New trends and reforms are also on the horizon. This post aims to review some of this year’s noteworthy developments.  …