Abstract
The institutional and regulatory transformation of international environmental law is essential to effectively respond to the challenges of the Anthropocene. Taking into account the necessity of innovative responses to global environmental change, this chapter champions the establishment of the International Environmental Court. The chapter emphasizes that the creation of the International Environmental Court needs to be implemented within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were also produced and will be implemented in the Anthropocene. The creation of a new judicial institution at the international level will contribute to the fight against fragmentation in international law. This will in turn contribute to the holistic global governance that is needed for effective management of the interconnected planetary-level environmental concerns of the Anthropocene.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 10 May 2018, 72/277 “Towards a Global Pact for the Environment”. http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/72/277. Accessed 11 February 2019. UN Secretary-General report, ‘Gaps in International Environmental Law and Environment-Related Instruments: Towards a Global Pact for the Environment’ (A/73/419). https://undocs.org/A/73/419. Accessed 11 February 2019.
- 2.
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly 70/1. 25 September 2015. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E. Accessed 11 February 2019.
- 3.
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly 70/1. 25 September 2015. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E. Accessed 11 February 2019.
- 4.
See: Certain activities carried out by Nicaragua in the border area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua). Compensation Owed by the Republic of Nicaragua to the Republic of Costa Rica. https://www.icj-cij.org/en/case/150. International Court of Justice, February 2, 2018. Accessed 11 February 2019.
- 5.
Statement of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Climate change and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 2018. Geneva. https://www.ohchr.org/ru/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23691&LangID=E. Accessed 10 October 2018.
- 6.
States’ Obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Context of Climate Change. http://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/HRTBs-synthesis-report.pdf. Accessed 10 September 2018.
- 7.
Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean. 2018. https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/handle/11362/43583/1/S1800428_en.pdf. Accessed 10 September 2018.
- 8.
E.g., Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007); Am. Elec. Power Co. v. Connecticut, 564 U.S. 410 (2011); Native Vill. of Kivalina v. ExxonMobil Corp., 696 F.3d 849 (9th Cir. 2012); Juliana v. United States, No. 6:15-cv-1517-TC, 2016 WL 183903 (D. Or. Jan. 14, 2016); Friends of the Earth v. Canada, [2008] F.C. 1183 (Can. Fed. Ct.); Leghari v Fed’n of Pakistan, W.P. No. 25501/2015 (Lahore High Ct.) (Sept. 4, 2015) (Pak.); Gbemre v. Shell Petroleum Dev. Co. Nigeria [2005] AFR. HUM. RTS. L. REP. 151 (F.H.C. Nigeria); Greenpeace New Zealand v. Northland Reg’l Council [2006] NZHC CIV 2006- 404-004617 at [57] per Williams J. (N.Z.); Genesis Power Ltd. v. Franklin Dist. Council [2005] NZRMA 541 (N.Z.).); RB-Den Haag [Hague Dist. Ct.] 24 juni 2015, ECLI:NL:RBDHA:2015:7196 (Stichting Urgenda/Nederlanden) [Urgenda Found. v. Netherlands] (Neth.).
References
Biermann F et al (2012) Navigating the anthropocene: improving earth system governance. Science 335:1306–1307
Bodansky D (2017) The role of the international court of justice in addressing climate change: some preliminary reflections. Arizona State Law 49(2):689
Hey E (2016) International law and the anthropocene, ESIL Reflection 5:10. http://esil-sedi.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ESIL-Reflection-Ellen-Hey.pdf. Accessed 10 July 2018
Humphreys S (2018) The human rights covenants in the light of anthropogenic climate change. In: Moeckli D, Keller H (eds) The human rights covenants: their past, present, and future. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198825890.003.0012
Jefferies C, Seck S, Stephens T (2018) International law, innovation, and environmental change in the anthropocene. In: Craik N, Jefferies C, Seck S, Stephens T (eds) Global environmental change and innovation in international law. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 1–18
Kotzé LJ (2014) Rethinking global environmental law and governance in the anthropocene. J Energy Nat Resour Law 32:121–156, 144
Kotzé LJ (2016) Global environmental constitutionalism in the anthropocene. Hart Publishing
Oberthiir S, Gehring T (2005) Reforming international environmental governance: an institutional perspective on proposals for a world environment organization. In: Biermann F, Bauer S (eds) A world environment organization. solution or threat for effective international environmental governance? Ashgate, pp 205–234
Pedersen OW (2012) Analysis an international environmental court and international legalism. J Environ Law 24:3. https://doi.org/10.1093/jel/eqs022
Pring G, Pring C (2016) Environmental courts & tribunals: a guide for policy makers. UNEP, Nairobi
Roberts A (2017) Would a multilateral investment court be biased? Shifting to a treaty party framework of analysis. https://www.ejiltalk.org/would-a-multilateral-investment-court-be-biased-shifting-to-a-treaty-party-framework-of-analysis/
Sands P (2016) Climate change and the rule of law: adjudicating the future in international law. J Environ Law 28(1):19–35. https://doi.org/10.1093/jel/eqw005
Voigt C (2016) The potential roles of the ICJ in climate change-related claims. In: Peeters M, Farber D (eds) Climate change law. Edward Elgar Publishing, pp 152–166
Watt-Cloutier S (2005) Inuit circumpolar conference, petition to the inter American commission on human rights seeking relief from violations resulting from global warming caused by acts and omissions of the United States. http://www.inuitcircumpolar.com/uploads/3/0/5/4/30542564/finalpetitionicc.pdf. Accessed 10 Sept 2018
Young OR (2017) Governing complex systems: social capital for the anthropocene. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
SoIntsev, A.M. (2019). The International Environmental Court—A Necessary Institution for Sustainable Planetary Governance in the Anthropocene. In: Lim, M. (eds) Charting Environmental Law Futures in the Anthropocene. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9065-4_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9065-4_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-9064-7
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-9065-4
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)