Law-Science Nexus in International Law-Making: Perspectives from Arctic Fisheries Governance

Integrating science in the making and implementation of international and regional treaties emerges as an essential component of modern and future international law-making amidst profound climatic, geophysical, and biological changes worldwide. The interplay between science and law or the law-science nexus within, inter alia, the international legal frameworks on climate change, biodiversity, and fisheries offers different levels of integration of science. In practice, subsidiary scientific bodies play a key role in enabling the dialogue between scientists and law/policymakers. However, persisting challenges remain, hampering the optimal implementation of the law-science nexus. Against this background and with comparative perspectives from the 2018 Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement, which entered into force in 2021, this article explores the evolution of the law-science nexus in international law-making. Furthermore, it highlights current challenges, namely the politicization of science and scientific uncertainty, and identifies opportunities to enhance this interplay. In shedding light on the importance of building an efficient law-science nexus, this article aims to inspire future international law-making to strengthen global and regional governance.