Ocean's Monopoly: How Nations Use Science to Conquer the Sea

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 governs our understanding of the extent of the territorial sea that is regarded as the sovereign territory of a coastal state. Adjustments of these boundaries are called maritime delimitation in international law. This documentary follows a small group of geologists whose research supports countries’ territorial claims over the world’s oceans. It examines how objective these scientists can be when economic and strategic interests are at stake, highlighted by a geologist who switches sides.