Sustainable Development Principles in the Decisions of International Courts and Tribunals : 1992-2012

The 2002 New Delhi Declaration of Principles of International Law relating to Sustainable Development set out seven principles on sustainable development, as agreed in treaties and soft-law instruments from before the 1992 Rio ‘Earth Summit’ UNCED, to the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, to the 2012 Rio UNCSD. Recognition of the New Delhi principles is shaping the decisions of dispute settlement bodies with jurisdiction over many subjects: the environment, human rights, trade, investment, and crime, among others.

This book explores the expanding international jurisprudence incorporating principles of international law on sustainable development. Through chapters by respected experts, the volume documents the application and interpretation of these principles, demonstrating how courts and tribunals are contributing to the world’s Sustainable Development Goals, by peacefully resolving disputes. It charts the evolution of these principles in international law from soft law standards towards recognition as customary law in certain instances, assessing key challenges to further judicial consideration of the principles, and discussing, for instance, how their relevance for compliance and disputes related to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The volume provides a unique contribution of great interest to law and policy-makers, judges, academics, students, civil society and practitioners concerned with sustainable development and the law, globally.

Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger is Senior Director, Centre for International Sustainable Development Law; Full Professor of Law, University of Waterloo; Advisor and Fellow of C-EENRG and LCIL, University of Cambridge; and Rapporteur, ILA Committee on Sustainable Resources Management. She also served as IDLO Senior Legal Expert, as Senior Legal Advisor to the UNFCCC CoP22 Presidency and Ramsar Convention and as A/Director, Canadian Government. She has authored/edited 21 books and over 120 papers, and assisted the UN and over 70 countries in legal education and reform on sustainable development.

H.E. Judge C. G. Weeramantry was former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice and Founder of the Weeramantry International Centre for Peace Education and Research. Over five decades as lawyer, legal educator, domestic judge, international judge, author and lecturer, the Judge pioneered international law on sustainable development. He was laureate of the UNESCO Peace Education Prize 2006 in recognition of his commitment and concrete undertakings in support of peace.