TFL Vsebine / Pravni letopis

Mednarodna skupnost se sooča s številnimi pomembnimi izzivi – od dvigovanja gladine morja zaradi segrevanja podnebja do še vedno nedokončanega postopka dekolonizacije. Številni ukrepi za obravnavo teh izzivov niso dosegli želenih ciljev. Na tehnološkem področju pa se je pojavila možnost, ki nam morda lahko pomaga pri obravnavi vsaj nekaterih osrednjih preizkušenj. Predvsem manjše tihomorske otoške države razmišljajo o oblikovanju svojega digitalnega dvojčka v metaverzumu v želji, da bi kot digitalne države ohranile suverenost in mednarodnopravno subjektiviteto tudi takrat, ko bi fizično državno ozemlje izginilo v morje. Glede tega se pojavi dilema, ali mednarodno pravo omogoča tako nadaljevanje obstoja držav v metaverzumu, saj obstoj izključno digitalne države preizprašuje nekatere temeljne mednarodnopravne institute. Razvoj digitalnih tehnologij pa ni pomemben le za že obstoječe države, temveč tudi za nesamoupravna ozemlja in (post)kolonialne narode, ki še niso uresničili svoje pravice do samoodločbe. Digitalna samoodločba lahko pripomore k zunanjemu vidiku samoodločbe narodov v mednarodnem pravu. Avtor analizira pravne posledice digitalne samoodločbe narodov in oblikovanja digitalnih držav tako za že obstoječe države kot tudi za nesamoupravna ozemlja, ki državnosti še niso pridobili.

The international community faces a number of significant challenges, ranging from rising sea levels due to global warming to the still unfinished process of decolonisation. Many measures to address them have not achieved their intended objectives. However, a technological opportunity has emerged that could aid our efforts to tackle at least some of these key challenges. Smaller Pacific Island States in particular are considering creating a digital twin in the metaverse in order to retain their sovereignty and international legal personality as digital States even if their physical territory were to be submerged by the sea. The dilemma that arises at this point is whether international law allows for the continued existence of States in the metaverse, as the existence of an exclusively digital State calls into question some fundamental concepts of international law. However, the development of digital technologies is important not only for existing States, but also for non-self-governing territories and (post)colonial peoples who have not yet realised their right to self-determination. Digital self-determination can contribute to the external aspects of self-determination of peoples in international law. This article analyses the legal implications of digital self-determination of peoples and the formation of digital States for both existing States and non-self-governing territories that have not yet attained statehood.

Digital Self-Determination of Peoples and the Digital “State” as a Response to Contemporary Challenges