An Ecological Approach to International Law: Responding to Challenges of Climate Change

Front Cover
Psychology Press, 1998 - 443 pages

An Ecological Approach to International Law shows that international environmental law is fundamentally flawed and not equipped to meet global challenges. The book examines international legal responses to global climate change by analysing key concepts such as the doctrine of state sovereignty, the law on state responsibility, environmental rights and common heritage of mankind.

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Contents

Introduction
1
The scientific and ethical dimensions of the greenhouse effect
9
22 The greenhouse effect its causes and consequences
10
221 Causes
11
222 Impacts
14
23 Scientific uncertainties
19
24 Future trends and projections
21
26 Problems and conflicts
22
Human rights and the enviroment
196
52 The existence of a human right under current international law
197
522 An independent norm under customary international law?
200
53 Progressive development toward an environmental human rights
209
54 A new international human right?
212
542 Development of existing human rights?
220
543 Environmental rights
221
55 Specific issues of content
222

27 Responding to scientific uncertainty
24
28 The ethical dimensions of the greenhouse effect
26
State responsibility for environmental harm
61
32 The obligation to present environmental harm
65
33 Scope of the obligation to prevent environmental harm
78
333 Locus of harm
80
334 Degree of harm
86
a hypothetical case
87
a rule of customary international law?
88
342 The legal basis of responsibility?
89
343 Attribution
91
344 Locus standi
92
345 The wrongdoer
102
346 Causation
103
347 Remedies
105
348 Conclusion
108
35 An appropriate legal response?
109
351 State sovereignty and the transboundary approach
110
352 Protection of property rights
118
353 Reciprocity and coexistence vs cooperation
122
36 Conclusion
123
International liability for injurious consequences arising out of acts not prohibited by international law
144
42 Doctrine
146
422 Concepts and principles
147
423 Relationship with state responsibility
148
424 Basis of liability
151
425 Doctrinal debate
152
43 Greenhouse effect within the topics scope?
153
431 Pre 1988
154
432 Post 1988
159
44 An appropriate legal response?
165
442 Protection of property rights
169
443 A piecemeal approach
171
444 Liability regime
177
445 Environmental harm per se
180
446 Cooperation
181
45 Conclusion
182
552 Enforcement whose right?
224
553 Obligations
230
56 An appropriate legal response?
231
561 Anthropocentrism
232
562 Balancing competing rights
237
563 Developing states
238
564 Sovereignty
240
565 Future generations
242
566 International standards and cooperation
243
567 Prevention
244
The common heritage of mankind
258
62 The meaning of common heritage of mankind
260
622 Writings of Arvid Pardo and the 1970 SeaBed Declaration
262
623 Legal theory
269
624 Common interest
277
625 Intergenerational equity and trust
280
63 Specific environmental obligations
285
631 1970 SeaBed Declaration
286
632 LOS Convention
287
633 Moon Treaty
288
64 Current trends
289
65 An appropriate legal response?
291
651 Environmental ethics
292
653 Breach of obligations?
293
655 Sovereignty
295
656 Flexibility of meaning
297
661 The ethical issue
299
662 Protection of the global environment
304
a global environmental treaty
305
68 Conclusion
309
Rio an opportunity lost?
323
73 Conclusion
341
Conclusion
349
Appendices
354
Bibliography
407
Index
431
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