evidence: The South China Sea is an environmental gem. It is also the site of an intense geopolitical conflict. China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have all made claims to the islands in the South China Sea. The two major disputed island groups are the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands. The conflict emerged in the second half of the twentieth century, and it is closely related to the rise of modern China. [...] [2] Expert Report of Dr. rer. Nat. Sebastian C.A. Ferse, Professor Peter Mumby, PhD and Dr. Selina Ward, PhD on the Assessment of the Potential Environmental Consequences of Construction Activities on Seven Reefs in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, The Republic of the Philippines v. The People’s Republic of China (Perm. Ct. Arb. 2016), https://www.pcacases.com/web/sendAttach/1809.