Module Information

The significance of international law in the environmental field has increased considerably following the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. This module explores the gradual development of principles of international environmental law and considers how these are applied in relation to particular environmental issues such as atmospheric pollution and the conservation of biological diversity. The tensions between environmental requirements and other aspects of international legal relations, notably with respect to trade, are also considered. Overall, the module invites the student to examine the significance of the environment in the international playing field and the significance of international agreements for the protection of the global, regional and local environment.