This thesis investigates the scope of the Law of the Sea in terms of managing deep-sea mining, mediating territorial sea disputes, and supporting a system of international cooperation to facilitate stable ocean governance. The application of the Law of the Sea to international marine matters is best exemplified through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a treaty that provides guidance and supervision over the ocean. UNCLOS will be the main legal framework for assessing the developments of deep-sea exploration for mineral extraction, overlapping territorial sea claims, and threats to ocean health. Analysis of past territorial claim disputes illustrates that claims arise from desires for ownership over plentiful natural resources located in disputed waters. This results in territorial sea disputes furthering the continuation of the supremacy of state sovereignty over international waters and disregarding how the ocean is an interconnected flowing element. The most transformative challenge facing the Law of the Sea is deep-sea mining, which threatens to disrupt entire marine ecosystems through invasive mining practices. I argue that by creating a polycentric mode of ocean governance, the health of the ocean (and the planet) will be preserved. At the end of the thesis, I will recommend that an interactive, transdisciplinary, participatory, and problem-solving model of governance combined with building on existing legal regimes is necessary to respond to the challenges raised in the Law of the Sea.

The autonomous vehicle revolution started nearly a century ago with inventor Francis Houdina, who is credited with the first operational prototype of an unmanned motor vehicle. Almost 100 years later, autonomous vehicle technology is now on the brink of changing the world and will undoubtedly revolutionize the way transportation takes place. With this in mind, it is incredibly important to analyze and work through how the changes associated with the implementation of autonomous vehicles is going to affect the world legally. At the present time, there are no exceptions for the laws that are currently in place for non-autonomous vehicles, which means there is a significant amount of room for interpretation at times of autonomous vehicle error. First it is important to look at the history of automobiles and of autonomous technology. Starting with inventor Francis Houdina and automaker Mercedes Benz. Second, the ways in which autonomous technology has evolved over the last century. Companies such as Tesla and Waymo have been trailblazers of the industry. Third, looking at the way the world and different governments have or have not handled the incoming world of autonomous vehicles. Examining legislature formed by leading autonomous countries like Germany. Fourth, autonomous vehicles can now be found around the world in the hands of the public and in testing situations under manufacturer supervision. As a result of the widespread use of autonomous vehicles, there are now countless incidents of autonomous technology failure. The data and the outcomes of these accidents provide significant insight on the future legal necessities surrounding autonomous vehicles. Fifth, based on the history, technology, pre existing automobile legal framework and autonomous accidents, recommendations will be made on how to correctly govern autonomous vehicles and their owners. Autonomous vehicles will disrupt the world, but with the proper legal framework and regulations they will only continue to better the world we live in, improving efficiency, safety, and so much more.