Role of the international responsibility to protect the environment from pollution

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to discuss the different aspects of the international law that deal with the international liability on damages caused to the environment. We report on the effectiveness of international law regarding the liability of the violators and the application of indemnity. This subject is attracting an increasing attention as violations to the environment and its living and non-living constituents are increasing.The international responsibility for protecting the environment is no longer an internal affair; it is currently based on the principle of considering the environment as a common humanitarian heritage under the 1982 UN agreement of the Public Seas Law.As the international environmental law is based on the international agreements for protecting the environment and determining the liability of violators, the civil law compliments this protection through its principles which can establish the applicable international rules.The state liability on damages caused to the environment at non-war includes both the state liability for disrespecting the international law and the state liability on permitted activities. The conventional principles for protecting the environment are no longer applicable to the different sorts of illegal international activities harming the environment. Therefore, new rules are being developed to simplify the burden of proof regarding the state’s fault against the environment.