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The International Court for the Environment – Could the International Court for the Environment offer a solution for the problem of international environmental crimes?

Book Contribution - Chapter

This chapter promotes the creation of an International Court for the
Environment and puts forward a definition of international environmental
crimes to clarify the jurisdiction of the court regarding criminal misconduct.
The globalized world needs an International Court for the Environment, not
only to adjudicate all environmentally related cases, but in particular, to handle
international environmental crimes on the international level. International
courts and dispute settlement institutions have established a broad network for
judicial decisions based on international law. They govern disputes between
states, between corporations and states, as well as between individuals and
states. Within this network, an institution regarding the governing of the global
environment is missing, disregarding the extraordinary importance of the
natural environment as the basis for humanity. I argue for an International
Court for the Environment as a welcome addition to fill the existing gap. Not
only for cases regarding the general handling of the natural environment on the
international level but also regarding potentially criminal acts harming the
environment on a wide scale.
Book: Green Crimes and International Criminal Law
Edition: 1
Volume: 1
Pages: 141-179
ISBN:978-1-64889-109-0
  • ORCID: /0000-0002-5511-3681/work/92287256