Environmental Issues

Environmental issues: Need for international environmental law and policy for sustainable development!

It is fairly evident that States and the International Organizations have the upper hand in making the international laws. However, the international environmental law is the impact of the efforts from the non-government organizations and the authorities of the state. There have been positive efforts made on the law and policy-making in the sector of international environmental law in the nations like Germany, United States, Russia, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, China, Indonesia, and India. In the majority of the cases, the environmental protection has been seen in those nations where there is a definite constitutional right to a pollution free and healthy environment.

For example, the law in Latin America, Costa Rica, the constitution of Chile, South Africa, Hungry and many more offers a right to pollution free environment. Many European member-states have amended their respective constitutions after the fall of communism and have incorporated the right to the environment as a justifiable right in the constitution.

In the federal states, the local governments legislate on the environmental issues within their own jurisdiction. The policies and law initiated by the various nations and their local regions have greatly influenced one another towards evolving a state practise of the transnational environmental regulations. In this regard, the state and national level bureaucratic and administrative agencies have played a great role in creating environmental activism.

In addition to that, on an international level, the organs of the United Nations have served as the key actors in the procedure of environment protection lawmaking. For example, the role played by the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank cannot be overlooked since they have assisted in initiating the action among states and the pre-existing international organizations, which includes the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).

Nonetheless, at each and every level whether local, national or international, there have been many disagreements with respect to decision making concerning the environmental issues. Specifically, at an international rank although there is an inclusive institutional framework there is a full absence of unanimity with regard to decisions on the environment. It is, therefore, a challenge to establish an order of global international environmental supremacy with sustainable development as the topmost priority concern.

The human population stands at the defining moment in history and it is essential for everyone to recognize that development concerns, integration of environment and greater attention to them will result in the fulfilment of the basic needs and requirements and enhance the living standard for everyone.

It is a fact that no nation can achieve this goal dependently but united there can be a chance for international partnership for sustainable development.

The governments of all the nations should adopt the development policy that guarantees pollution control. In this regard, the international environmental law encounters its gravest challenges to meet the developmental as well as environmental needs of the present as well as future generations.