The Time for Lofty Speeches is Over - It Is Time for Implementation: The Problem of 50 Years of Application of International Environmental Law

Abstract

The global environment is not in a better shape than 50 years ago (climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution, waste of natural resources, poverty). As main reasons for the limited result of the legal efforts to appropriately preserve and protect the environment, the contribution identifies poor drafting of environmental agreements, the absence of effective implementation mechanisms and their full application, and the attemps to keep information on non-compliance with commitments within the closed club of contracting parties. The article suggests a number of possibilities to improve the present situation and concludes that the full and effective application of (international) environmental law is the biggest problem which environmental lawyers face.