The Clear-Blurry Line

Harvesting energy from the centre of the Earth, squeezing drinking water from maritime fogs, grabbing atmospheric pollution or discov-ering treasures from sunken ships could soon become sources of wealth for today’s nation-states. But to whom do all these resources lawfully belong to? The physical boundaries of a country extend far beyond a two-dimensional geographical border. Surrounding the ground surface, three areas of sovereignty - waters, airspace and underground – together with their three dynamic limits articulate these clear-blurry lines. Where does the sovereignty of a nation-state actually end? How is that line drawn? Their demarcation is tightly linked to circulation of capital and economic resources. Regulations struggle to define clear lines that reality blurs. We are uncertain how to locate them accurtely. How to demarcate spatial rights on the sea, the clouds and the magma? The logic of modern sovereignty over natural resources of a territory is being inverted. The notion of col-lective natural resources supersedes and reshapes current system of sovereignty. We experience more and more a shift from the flat nation-state towards four-dimensional complexities. How does criti-cal spatial practice operate within this frame?