An international court of the environment: The role of the permanent court of arbitration

Asia Pacific Journal of Environmental Law

Volumn 4, Issue 2, 1999, Pages 107-121

  Rest, Alfred ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE   (Germany)

Author keywords

Environmental dispute resolution; International; Permanent court of arbitration

Indexed keywords

EID: 4344696970     PISSN: 13852140     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Review

References (76)

1. To these and further cases see A. Rest "International Environmental Law in German Courts" (1997) 27 Environmental Policy and Law 409.
2. A. Rest "The Need for an International Court for the Environment: Underdeveloped Legal Protection of the Individual in Transnational Litigation" in G. Cordiru and A. Postiglione (eds) Towards the World Governing of the Environment (Gianni Iuculano Editore, Pavia: 1996) 591.
3. For the details see A. Rest "The Need for an International Court for the Environment?" (1994) 24 Environmental Policy and Law 173.
4. See Workshop of the ASIL Interest Group for Environmental Law of 9 April 1997, Washington, D.C., USA (on file). The preliminary report of national jurisdiction in the various countries is partially published in: (1998) 7 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 63.
5. For the details see L Kurukulasuriya "Role of Judiciary in Promoting Sustainable Development" (1998) 28 Environmental Policy and Law 27.
6. Ibid L Kurukulasuriya "Role of Judiciary in Promoting Sustainable Development" (1998) 28 Environmental Policy and Law at 28.
7. See Compendium of Summaries of Judicial Decisions in Environment Related Cases (With Special Reference to Countries in South Asia) (SACEP/UNEP/NORAD Publication Series on Environmental Law and Policy No 3, South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme, Colombo: 1997).
8. For the numerous decisions see A. Rest "International Environmental Law in German Courts" (1997) 27 Environmental Policy and Law 412 for litigation in the 1950s and 1960s.
9. For a discussion on global commons, common heritage, common concern and interest, and erga omnes obligations, see A. Rest "Ecological Damage in Public International Law" (1992) 22 Environmental Policy and Law 31;
10. on the protection of biological diversity: A. Rest "Enhanced Implementation of the Biological Diversity Convention by Judicial Control" (1999) 29 Environmental Policy and Law 32.
11. To this and other criminal law cases see Rest, note 8 at 419.
12. To such postulation of environmental lawyers, judges and environmental protection associations, see A. Rest "Zur Notwendigkeit eines Internationalen Umweltgerichtshofes" in G. Hafner et al (eds) Liber amicorum in honour of Prof. I. Seidl-Hohenveldem (Kluwer Law International, The Hague: 1998) 575 at 577.
13. (1992) 31 ILM 876.
14. ECE Doc ECE/CEP/43 (25 June 1998).
15. See N. A; Robinson (ed) Agenda 21: Earth's Action Plan (IUCN Environmental Policy & Law Paper No 27, Gland: 1993) 626.
16. To the details of "compliance procedure" in the various international environmental treaties see P. Széll "Compliance Regimes for Multilateral Environmental Agreements - A Progress Report" (1997) 27 Environmental Policy and Law 304;
17. W. Lang "Compliance-Control in International Environmental Law: Institutional Necessities" (1996) 56 Zeitschrift für Ausländisches Öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht 685
18. P. H. Sand "Institution Building to Assist Compliance with International Environmental Law: Perspectives" (1996) 56 Zeitschrift für Ausländisches Öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht 774 at 786-788, 793.
19. 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1987) 26 ILM 1516, Art. 6, which has also incorporated the COP mechanism. Together with the amending 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that deple te the Ozone Layer (1987) 26ILM1541, this mechanism is combined with the non-compliance-procedure ruled in Art. 8
20. See Széll, note 15 at 305.
21. See Rest, "Enhanced Implementation of the Biological Diversity Convention by Judicial Control" note 9 at 41.
22. Institut de Droit International, Session de Strasbourg, Resolution on "Environment" adopted 3 September 1997;
23. also see Art. 11;
24. Resolution on "Responsibility and Liability under International Law for Environmental Damage", adopted 4 September 1997;
25. see Arts. 26-28. The text of the second Resolution is published in: (1998) 7 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 99.
26. For example: the forest burning in Indonesia was tolerated by the government, although the existing law prohibited such activities. For the details and further examples see A. Rest "Zur Notwendigkeit eines Internationalen Umweltgerichtshofes" in Hafner, note 11, 575 at 579.
27. On several occasions this was pointed out by A. Postiglione "The Global Village without Regulations" in ICEF (ed) Etrucal, Economical, Social and Legal Motivations for an International Court of the Environment" (Giunti Gruppo Editoriale, Florence: 1992) 24;
28. and A. Rest "The Indispensability of an International Environmental Court" (1998) 7 Revieui of European Community and International Environmental Law 63 at 64.
29. See Case Concerning the Gabxíovo-Nagymams Project (Hungary/Slovakia) (1998) 37 ILM 162.
30. What is necessary is a new understanding of sovereignty which can meet the environmental challenges of our world in transition; see S. Bhatt "Ecology and International Law" (1982) 22 Indian Journal of International Law 422.
31. For the discussion to grant NGOs legal access cf. F. Orrego Vicuńa and C. Pinto The Peaceful settlement of Disputes: Prospects for the Twenty-First Century" (Report prepared for the 1999 Centennial Commemoration of the First Peace Conference, The Hague, 1999) paras 173 et seq (on file).
32. (1982) 21 ILM 1261. See also the Statute according to Annex VI.
33. R. Wolfrum "Der Internationale Seegerichtshof in Hamburg" (1996) 44 Vereinte Nationen 205;
34. T. Treves "The Law of the Sea Tribunal: Its Status and Scope of Jurisdiction after November 16, 1994" (1995) 55 Zeitschrift für Ausländisches Öffentiches Recft und Völkerrecht 421.
35. Treves, ibid "The Law of the Sea Tribunal: Its Status and Scope of Jurisdiction after November 16, 1994" (1995) 55 Zeitschrift für Ausländisches Öffentiches Recft und Völkerrecht 421. at 428.
36. See Art. 20, second sentence and also Art. 21.
37. For the definition of "entities", see UNCLOS, Arts. 1(2), 305(1).
38. For examples of ECJ decisions see E. Hey The European Community's Courts and International Environmental Agreements" (1998) 7 European Community and International Environmental Law 4.
39. For a survey see A. Rest "Improved Environmental Protection Through an Expanded Concept of Human Rights?" (1997) 27 Environmental Policy and Law 213;
40. A. Rest "Europäischer Menschenrechtsschutt als Katalysator für ein verbessertes Umweltrecht" (1997) 19 Natur und Recht 209.
41. López-Ostra v. Spain (1994) ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) Series A, Vol 303/C.
42. Balmer-Schafroth and Cnhers v. SwitzeAmd (1997) 43 ECHR (Reports of Judgments and Decisions) 1347.
43. Ibid at 1359, para 40. Balmer-Schafroth and Cnhers v. (1997) 43 ECHR (Reports of Judgments and Decisions)
44. Ibid at 1363. Balmer-Schafroth and Cnhers v. (1997) 43 ECHR (Reports of Judgments and Decisions)
45. see ibid at 1361, 1367.
46. (1993) 32 ILM 1228.
47. See for example Report of the ILC on the work of its Forty-Fifth session, 3 May - 23 July 1993;
48. General Assembly Official Records 48th Session, Suppl No 10 (A/48/10) 255.
49. See Press Release L/ROM/22 (17 July 1998), edited by the UN Diplomatic Conference, Rome.
50. For the details of the various kinds of crimes see the Bureau's of the Conference Proposal for the Draft Statute - on jurisdiction, admissability and applicable law (A/Conf 183/C.1/L.59) - containing over eight pages of options for Art. 5 (crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court); see Press Release L/ROM/16 (13 July 1998).
51. Article 19(d) provides: "the serious breach of an international obligation of essential importance for the safeguarding and preservation of the human environment, such as those prohibiting massive pollution of the atmosphere or of the seas" as an international crime: (1980) II Part Two Yearbook of the International Law Commission 30 at 32.
52. See Permanent Court of Arbitration First Conference of the Members of the Court, 10 and 11 September 1993 (PCA/Stichting T.M.C. Asser Instituut, The Hague: 1993);
53. see in particular Background papers of: Ion Diaconu at 94,96
54. and Prince Bola Ajibola at 98,99.
55. A. Rest "The Need for an International Court for the Environment - Underdeveloped Legal Protection for the Individual in Transnational Litigation" inTowards the World Govemingof the Environment (Pubblicazione a cura dell' ICEF, Rome: 1995) 178.
56. See P. J. H. Jonkman "Resolution of International Environmental Disputes: A Potential Role for the Permanent Court of Arbitration", in note 2 at 435.
57. The contributions are collected in: G. Cordini and A. Postiglione (eds) VII International ICEF Conference, Ambiente e Cultura, Patrhnonio Comune dell Umanitŕ, Paestum 6-/0 Giugno 1997 (Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, Naples: 1999).
58. Permanent Court of Arbitration, Optional Conciliation Rules of 1 July 1996. All Optional Rules concerning Conciliation and Arbitration are published by the Secretary-General and International Bureau of the PCA, Peace Palace, The Hague, in: Basic Documents, Conventions, Rules, Model Clauses and Guidelines (Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague: 1998).
59. The Rules of the United Nations Commission for International Trade of December 1976 are published in: A. Bülow et al Der Internationale Rechtverkehr in Zivil-und Hanaelssaclien Vol II (Verlag C. H. Beck, Munich: 1997) No 753.
60. Optional Rules of 20 October 1992 in note 45 at 41.
61. Optional Rules of 6 July 1993, ibid at 69.
62. Optional Rules of 1 July 1996, ibid at 97.
63. Ibid at 125.
64. P. Sands "Environmental Disputes and the Permanent Court of Arbitration: Issues for Consideration"(Background Paper for the Secretary-General of the PCA) (FIELD, London: March 1996) (on file).
65. Cf. Protocol of P. J. H. Jonkman, Secretary-General of PCA of 19 May 1998, Procedural Rules for the Settlement of Environmental Disputes Before The Permanent Court of Arbitration - Summary of views expressed during a discussion held at the Peace Palace on February 24, 1998 (on file).
66. Unpublished document (on file).
67. Cf. PCA Financial Assistance Fund for Settlement on International Disputes, Terms of Reference and Guidelines as approved by the Administrative Council on December 11, 1995, in: Basic Documents, note 45 at 233.
68. (1980) 19 ILM 15, Art. XIII.
69. See IUCN Dra/t International Covenant on Environment and Development (Environmental Policy and Law Paper No 31, IUCN, Gland/Cambridge: 1995) Art. 62(2).
70. Cf. "Guidelines for Negotiating and Drafting Dispute Settlement Clauses for International Environmental Agreements" prepared by P. H. Sands and R. MacKenzie, International Bureau of PCA.The Hague (January 1998) (on file).
71. See Permanent Court of Arbitration 96th Annual Report (Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague: 1996) Nos 18-22 at 9.
72. Ibid, Permanent Court of Arbitration 96th Annual Report, 1996, No 21 at 9.
73. Final Conference Resolution (on file).
74. See Appendix, para 4.
75. Ibid, para 9.
76. For the numerous recommendations coming from 54 States and several International Organisations see: International Court of the Environment Foundation The Global Demand for an International Court of the Environment, International Report 1998 of the International Court of the Environment Foundation (Presso a Tipo-Lito, Rome: 1998).