Introduction to International Law

Introduction to International Law

Introduction to International Law

nternational environmental law is a branch of public international law.
While agreements devoted to aspects of environmental protection have
developed their own particularities, which are discussed throughout Chapter
IV, the structures and norms of international law provide the basic legal
framework for the field. Within this framework, international rules having
quite varied objectives often need to be included as part of international
environmental law, because they have a significant environmental impact.
The first fishing treaties, for example, were primarily intended to prevent
conflicts between fishermen of different nationalities and to protect local
economies. Fulfillment of these objectives nonetheless fostered the concept
of sustainable exploitation, permitting the maintenance and renewal of fish
stocks. Similarly, norms to standardize the performance of internal combustion engines, originally adopted by the European Union in order to facilitate trade within the region, have led to cleaner technology and reductions
in engine noise and the emission of noxious gases. In sum, the field of international environmental law encompasses large parts of public international
law as well as being subsumed within its basic structure.

alexandre kis dinah shelton