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Activity 8
The Sensible Use of the Shared Seas

Adapted from "Ocean Resources Game," in Intercom # 107, Simulations for a Global Perspective. New York: Global Perspectives in Education, 985. pp 10-11 and 23-24.

Grade Level

Secondary

Introduction

This simulation would probably take at least four days.  While this may seem a long time, the learning benefits from the exercise should carry over into class sessions dealing with any global issue historical or current.

The world's nations are very much concerned with food supply, energy sources, natural resources, economic growth, environmental pollution and military security.  All of these concerns come together in a series of global problems or issues.  One of these issues, which encompasses all of these concerns, is the use and abuse of the world's oceans.

The basic laws of the sea were established in the 17th century and changed little until after World War II.  Each nation had control of its coastal waters up to three miles from shore-the distance a cannon ball could be shot.  Beyond that, the seas were free for all.

Improvements in military and commercial technology reopened the basic question-who owns the seas?  Sophisticated methods of fishing, occasionally aided by satellites tracking fish, over fished many regions and have raised controversies from Iceland to India.  Depletion of the land's natural resources made tapping seabed oil and minerals economically and politically attractive.  Pollution of the oceans-from wastes, military use, accidental and intentional oil dumping, and runoffs from land and river pollution-greatly increased.  The quality of the seas became an urgent question for all nations-even those without direct access.

The United Nations became involved in the process of resolving the complicated questions about control of the oceans.  Important conferences were held in Venezuela, Switzerland, and New York in the 1970s and culminated in the signing of a Law of the Sea Treaty in Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1982.  While the treaty was signed by other nations and went into effect, the US remains one of the few nations who has not ratified it.  Many of the issues the Law of the Sea treaty addressed remain controversial and unresolved; the depletion and pollution continues.  Treaties are sometimes easy to sign, but difficult to ratify with national legislatures and to enforce.

The background data and role playing activity which follow provide an opportunity to explore the potential for cooperation and conflict that have existed in relation to control of the seas.  The situations the students will encounter reflect some of the major issues which have been at stake in the use of the world's seas.  Through playing roles of decision makers of various nations, students learn about issues and positions involved in exploiting the wealth of the sea, including minerals, oil and fish.

Teacher/Student Objective

The goal of this exercise is to lead students to realize the difficulties of reconciling national interests and global environmental concerns while engaging in a interactive activity which tests both their oral and written skills.

Gauging Student Understanding

The progress indicators cited reflect desirable end goals. Teachers should be prepared to use a wide variety of observational, testing and authentic achievement evaluation measures in judging the progress of students.

In the process of assuming roles in a simulation activity, the students will, through careful consideration of national and global perspectives and appropriate research, reveal their ability to explore the potentials for cooperation and conflict.  They will learn to reconcile conflicting interests regarding a major global issue: the wise use of the seas.

Students will reveal the depth and quality of their interactive skills, providing opportunities for the teacher to make corrective suggestions in the areas of:

• Persuasive presentation
• Adding to or questioning data or opinions
• Countering or supplementing arguments
• Recognizing syllogistic or other reasoning fallacies
• Balancing ethical/moral considerations with political realities

Suggested Materials

• Teacher-prepared list of terminology specific to this exercise.
• Sufficient atlases or maps clearly showing the oceans and seas.
• Copies of Handout 8A, Diagram of the Seabed, Handout 8B, Country Profiles, and Handout 8C, Map of the Sea of Plenty.

Initial Data for Consideration and/or Process

• Distribute and discuss Handout 8A, Diagram of the Seabed.  Direct students to examine this material to determine the potential problems between and among nations of the world that this data reveals.  Teacher and students should generate a listing of these problems for prominent display somewhere in the classroom.  This should take at least one class period.  An alternative procedure is to divide students into pairs or trios, have the small groups discuss the data for the same ends, and then conduct a group consensus session to identify the significant problems
• Distribute Handout 8B, Country Profiles and Handout 8C, Map of the Sea of Plenty.  Divide the students into six groups and assign one country to each group.
• Ask the students to read the profiles of all the countries around the Sea of Plenty and acquaint themselves with the map.  Tell them that their objective, as representatives of these nations, is to work out fair agreements on the use of the ocean's resources.  The basic issues they should consider are:
• How far should a nation's jurisdiction extend?
• Should there be a national economic zone beyond the territorial limit?  If so, how far?
• Do nations have the right to pollute the oceans, whether off their own shores or on the high seas?   If not, what should be done about it?
• Should the ocean be considered the common heritage of the people of the world?  If so, should an international organization be formed to regulate the mining of the seas and use a percentage of the profits to foster the development of poorer nations?
• There will also be other issues between particular countries and the broad issue, of importance to all, of what to do about resources and the deep sea bed beyond national jurisdictions.
• Have the students meet within their "nation" to consider their objectives and how they intend to pursue these objectives at the coming international meeting
• The International Conference on the Sea (ICS) assembles.  One student acts as chairperson, and the delegates determine their own rules for proceeding.  Suggested procedure: each nation speaks, one student from each nation acting as the spokesman for his country.  This may be the Chief Decision Maker or another member of the delegation.  Teacher should gauge the productivity level of the conference, making necessary adjustments and encouragements.  Toward the end of the session, a group of students might be given the task of pulling the discussion together in a Draft Protocol of Agreement.  This agreement should then be reproduced and ready for distribution the next day.
• Have the individual countries meet again to determine how their nation's interests are being served (or not) by the new agreement and how their policies and strategies might need to be re-examined based upon what happened during the International Conference on the Sea.  It is possible that countries can agree on a policy at the conference, only to discover the need to rethink their position upon return.
• Begin a negotiating period during which countries may make bargains, agreements or alliances with other countries in preparation for the second round of the international conference.
• Direct countries to meet individually to develop their presentations for the next ICS meeting.
• Hold the second meeting of the International Conference on the Sea.
• Continue the cycle of national meetings, negotiations and ICS meetings until either an agreement or an impasse has been reached.  Probably no more than two meeting of the ICS are necessary to establish that international meetings may take years and multiple conferences, etc., to reach an agreement on so difficult a subject.

Debriefing

The following questions may be useful in a debriefing discussion when the simulation has been completed:

• What happened in the game?  Were all nations able to reach their goals?  If agreement was reached, was it fair to all nations?
• How did the game compare with reality?  What changes should be made to make it more realistic?  What additional parties or pressure groups might be involved?  How would their presence alter the outcome?
• Do students think the mileage limits should be uniform for all nations?  Would that be fair?
• What will be the consequences for the world if agreement is not reached?  It would also be useful for students to examine the current Law of the Sea and discuss its major points.  What problems have been solved?  What problems still exist?  How do the agreements reflected in this law compare to the agreements the students reached during the simulation?

Allow students to explore whether this negotiating process has any applicability to their own personal lives.

Other Possible Activities

Ask students to examine newspapers for recent or ongoing international conferences, and have them talk about the major points of debate and the potentials for agreement.

• Several historical instances of international agreements are perfect foils for student reflection on the processes which they followed in the simulation.  The Treaty of Versailles, the Potsdam Agreement, the Camp David Accords, etc., were all subject to the same give-and-take process-with varying degrees of success.

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