Common heritage of mankind

Common heritage of mankind is a principle of international law which holds that defined territorial areas and elements of humanity’s common heritage (cultural and natural) should be held in trust for future generations and be protected from exploitation by individual nation states or corporations.

In 1970 by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution, the Declaration of Principles Governing the Seabed and Ocean Floor, was adopted by 108 nation states and stated that the deep seabed should be preserved for peaceful purposes and is the Common Heritage of Mankind.

UNESCO Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generation Towards the Future Generations proclaimed on November, 12, 1997 is an international agreement (potentially part of international customary law) which includes provisions related to the common heritage of mankind.

Article 4 of this Declaration says:

“The present generations have the responsibility to bequeath to future generations an Earth which will not one day be irreversibly damaged by human activity. Each generation inheriting the Earth temporarily should take care to use natural resources reasonably and ensure that life is not prejudiced by harmful modifications of the ecosystems and that scientific and technological progress in all fields does not harm life on Earth”.

According to the Law of the Sea common heritage of mankind is the Area and its resources. Area means the sea-bed and ocean floor and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. No state can have or exercise sovereignty or sovereign rights over any part of the Area or its resources.

All rights to the resources of the Area belong to mankind as a whole. No state or person may explore or exploit these resources without international authority acting on behalf of all countries. This view is based on the theory that the seabed belongs to every member of the international community in common.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is common heritage of mankind?

2. What does the Area mean?

3. Can any state have or exercise sovereignty or sovereign rights over any part of the Area or its resources?

4. Who can exercise all the rights?

5. Who does seabed belong to?

Task 21. Translate the following word combinations into English using the words and word combinations from the text above:

oбщее наследие человечества; дно морей и океанов и его недра за пределами национальной юрисдикции; район и его ресурсы являются общим наследием человечества; без международных полномочий, действующих от имени всех стран; дно морей и океанов принадлежит всем членам международного сообщества в целом; технологический прогресс; человеческая деятельность.

Useful Words and Expressions for Speech Practice
airspace – воздушное пространство overflight – перелет the privilege – право, привилегия landing – посадка non-traffic landing – посадка с некоммерческими целями putting down – высадка и выгрузка taking on - принятие на борт, загрузка whose nationality the aircraft possesses – зд. флага воздушного судна		picking up – принятие на борт destined for the territory of the state – следующие на территорию государства contracting state – договаривающееся государство non-sсheduled international air service – нерегулярные международные воздушные сообщения to follow the route – следовать маршрутом

Debate: AIRSPACE AND OUTERSPACE