International Environmental Law and the Global
South
The unprecedented degradation of the planet's vital
ecosystems is among the most pressing issues confronting the international
community. Despite the proliferation of legal instruments to combat
environmental problems, conflicts between rich and poor nations (the
North-South divide) have compromised international environmental law, leading
to deadlocks in environmental treaty negotiations and noncompliance with
existing agreements. This volume examines both the historical origins of the
North-South divide in European colonialism as well as its contemporary
manifestations in a range of issues including food justice, energy justice,
indigenous rights, trade, investment, extractive industries, human rights, land
grabs, hazardous waste, and climate change. Born out of the recognition that
global inequality and profligate consumerism present threats to a sustainable planet,
this book makes a unique contribution to international environmental law by
emphasizing the priorities and perspectives of the global South.
The most comprehensive study to date to address the
North-South divide in international environmental law Historical background shows how the current North-South divide grew out of and is in some ways an extension of Western colonialism
Includes a diverse range of perspectives with contributing authors based on five continents.
