Part VIII Compliance, Implementation, and Effectiveness, Ch.59 National Implementation

Subject(s):

International environmental law — National implementation — Relationship between international and domestic law

This chapter discusses national implementation, which is a fundamental feature of international environmental law. It focuses on implementation through law at the national or ‘domestic’ level, with some consideration given to international facilitation of domestic implementation. The global nature of harmful environmental impacts requires an ‘all for one, one for all’ approach and domestic management of the environment in all states is essential to give effect to international protections. International environmental laws are recognized in national legal systems in accordance with the rules of each state and the resulting variables are many. Moreover, the extensive reach of international environmental law into the domestic sphere limits state autonomy and local norms, further complicating national implementation.