INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

International Environmental Law

International Environmental Law

Introduction

Several reasons are commonly offered for having rules that limit human activity in order to protect “the environment.” In relatively rare cases, the intrinsic value of nonhuman life is given some weight; the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal Protection Act are examples, along with the international Convention on International Trades in Endangered Species (Ponting, 2006). More typically, cases are decided and statutes legislated to correct various market failures (e.g., negative externalities), secure rights, protect the commons, provide public goods, or provide incentives for technologies that pollute less.

Discussion

There is a considerable body ...