INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Abstract

This chapter examines international environmental law as a branch of public international law. The chapter traces the evolution of international environmental law from bilateral agreements in the 18th century to modern international environmental law shaped by legal and institutional development, including soft law such as the Stockholm Declaration of 1972 and the Sustainable Development Goals of 2023. To this end, the chapter deals with three generations of international environmental law and emphasises the principles of precaution, prevention, sustainable development, and international cooperation’s importance in addressing environmental challenges. The chapter concludes by highlighting critical principles of international environmental law, such as governance of natural resources, cooperation, and sustainable development, and stresses the importance of global cooperation to solve pressing environmental problems.