The Challenges of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development from Rio to Rio+20 and Beyond is an innovative and original book which addresses in an analytical and critical way the issues raised by Rio+20. Its content offers a wealth of information from world leading experts in the fields of international law, international environmental law and international health law. The book provides a unique insight in issues which are at the core of the contemporary management of social, environmental and economic questions and thus represents a very important contribution to our...

Exclusion from refugee status for the suspected commission of serious crimes is a topic fraught with political and legal controversy. This is an area which sees the intersection of refugee law with international criminal and humanitarian law and, increasingly, measures taken in the fight against terrorism. In Terrorism and Exclusion from Refugee Status in the UK, Sarah Singer examines whether and how 'terrorism' has featured in the UK's interpretation and application of the Refugee Convention's 'exclusion clause'. A number of sources are drawn on including questionnaires and interviews...

In Article 31(3)(c) VCLT and the Principle of Systemic Integration: Normative Shadows in Plato's Cave the author tackles a provision on treaty interpretation that has risen in prominence, Article 31(3)(c) VCLT. This article, which enshrines the principle of systemic integration, and its exact scope has become and continues to be a hotly debated subject in academic and judicial circles. Through an examination of both its written and unwritten elements, the author argues that the 'proximity criterion' is the optimal way of understanding and utilizing this provision, that conflict...

The book analyzes the question of legitimacy and efficacy of certain organs created on the basis of Multilateral Environmental Agreements, i.e. Conferences and Meetings of the Parties. It analyzes their structure, new developments and collaborative efforts regarding the powers of these bodies in achieving desired goals of environmental protection. Contributors are: Michael Bowman, Edward J. Goodwin, Peter G.G. Davies, Feja Lesniewska and Philippe Cullet

The drive for harmonisation of environmental criminal standards at both the international and European level emerges from the increasing recognition of the scale and seriousness of environmental crime, the need to strengthen mechanisms of police and judicial interstate cooperation to combat cross-border crime, and the objective to ensure fair competition in a global economy and an integrated EU common market. The harmonisation of environmental criminal law requires a competent institutional framework able to convey the need for criminalisation of environmental harm while not overriding...

In The Juridical Nature of Unilateral Acts of States in International Law Eva Kassoti explores the question of the legal nature of unilateral acts by focusing on their essential characteristics, namely unilateralism and the manifest intention to be bound. By analysing the legal and factual context surrounding the making of unilateral acts, this volume offers a list of indicators of the elements of unilateralism and manifest intention that will facilitate the determination of the existence of a unilateral juridical act in practice. Kassoti explores the legal nature of unilateral acts...

In Unilateral Acts of States in Public International Law Przemyslaw Saganek discusses one of the most important sources of States' obligations in international law. He analyzes in a critical way the classical catalogue of unilateral acts comprising: promise, waiver, recognition and protest. He convincingly proves that this list is misleading as it oversees several important acts of States. On the other hand, several classical acts do not necessarily give rise to legal effects or are not necessarily unilateral. The author undertakes a thorough analysis of several types of acts, showing their...

This publication gives an in-depth analysis of a very important but complex case before the International Court of Justice. It deals with substantive and procedural aspects of the case, analysed extensively by eminent international lawyers and practitioners. The Whaling in Antarctic case is a landmark case in international law. Contributors: Malgosia Fitzmaurice and Dai Tamada (eds.); Caroline E. Foster; Shotaro Hamamoto; Theodore Christakis; Christian Tams; Mika Hayashi; Joji Morishita; Donald R. Rothwell; Hironobu Sakai; Anthony Press; Akiho Shibata; Yuri Takaya.

Marine Protected Areas in International law - an Arctic perspective, introduces and analyzes the legal rights and obligations of states under international law, using Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a tool to protect marine biodiversity. The fragile Arctic marine environment is under growing pressure from climate change and the prospect of increasing human activity affecting previously untouched areas. The conservation of Arctic marine biodiversity is a pressing and global concern, not least because the melting of sea ice will have widespread effects. By analyzing regional cooperation...

The volume edited by Bartlomiej Krzan offers different perspectives on the prosecution of international crimes. The analyses contained therein reflect different backgrounds, mainly legal, combining several disciplines, and making it a multidisciplinary study. The main (but definitely not the exclusive) point of reference is that of international law. In addition, other perspectives, those of legal history or sociology of law and obviously the one of criminal law (both substantive and procedural) provide useful alternatives or in most occasions complementary approaches to the...