What is International Environmental Law?
International Environmental Law (IEL) is concerned with the attempt to control pollution and the depletion of natural resources within a framework of sustainable development. It is a branch of public international law - a body of law created by states for states to govern problems that arise between states.
IEL covers topics such as population, biodiversity, climate change, ozone depletion, toxic and hazardous substances, air, land, sea and transboundary water pollution, conservation of marine resources, desertification, and nuclear damage.
(Source: Lakshman D Guruswamy, International Environmental Law in a Nutshell (West, 5th ed, 2017)). For more information and a good introduction to the topic, see:
International Environmental Law in a Nutshell by Call Number: KM 243 GURUPublication Date: 2021-11-08This well received book, informed by its interdisciplinary framework, succinctly yet accurately traverses and illuminates the full gamut of international environmental issues, laws and policies challenging the world today. The sixth edition responds to important developments arising subsequent to the fifth edition, relating, inter alia, to sustainable development, climate change, and energy. These developments include the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2015, the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change that replaced the Kyoto Protocol, and the challenges posed by renewable energy and global poverty. In sum, the book offers a synoptic overview, and instructive analysis of the relevant treaties, customary law, and soft law instruments governing all areas of international environmental law.
