Abstract
The need for an environmentally sustainable alternative to fossil-sourced energy has led to a global increase in offshore renewable energy (ORE) ventures in the past decade. With fast-advancing technologies, these ventures are moving into deeper waters, putting the likelihood of ORE installations in the High Seas in sight. Concerns about potential conflict with other traditional uses of the marine space, marine pollution, inefficient and inequitable deployments have been raised. However, asides from few State-based regulatory frameworks, there is no international legal framework to regulate this burgeoning ORE industry. Adopting a socio-legal approach, this paper mainstreams Arvid Pardo’s argument for the equitable management of the ocean space as an ecological whole, to propose a dualist approach to ORE governance. This paper contends that the current global ORE structure is inequitable and inefficient and proposes ways existing structures can be adapted to regulate the burgeoning industry. Using Nigeria (and West Africa) as case study, recommendations have been made on the roles to be played by States and the International Community in a global ORE governance framework.