Book contents
- Fifty Years of International Environmental Law
- Fifty Years of International Environmental Law
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction: Fifty Years of Shaping International Environmental Law
- Part I Concepts, Structures, and Institutions
- 1 Stockholm 1972 and the Birth of International Sustainable Development Law
- 2 The Missed Link between International Economic Law and Social and Environmental Issues
- 3 On the International Environmental Governance Architecture: Looking Back to Look Ahead for Our Common Future
- Part II Human Rights, Participatory Rights, and the Rule of Law
- Part III Consumption, Production, Chemicals, and Waste
- Part IV The Atmosphere
- Part V Waters
- Part VI Nature and Biodiversity
- Annex A Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment
- Annex B Stockholm+50: A Healthy Planet for the Prosperity of All – Our Responsibility, Our Opportunity, Summary Points of Leadership Dialogues and Outcome
- Index
3 - On the International Environmental Governance Architecture: Looking Back to Look Ahead for Our Common Future
from Part I - Concepts, Structures, and Institutions
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 May 2026
Book contents
- Fifty Years of International Environmental Law
- Fifty Years of International Environmental Law
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction: Fifty Years of Shaping International Environmental Law
- Part I Concepts, Structures, and Institutions
- 1 Stockholm 1972 and the Birth of International Sustainable Development Law
- 2 The Missed Link between International Economic Law and Social and Environmental Issues
- 3 On the International Environmental Governance Architecture: Looking Back to Look Ahead for Our Common Future
- Part II Human Rights, Participatory Rights, and the Rule of Law
- Part III Consumption, Production, Chemicals, and Waste
- Part IV The Atmosphere
- Part V Waters
- Part VI Nature and Biodiversity
- Annex A Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment
- Annex B Stockholm+50: A Healthy Planet for the Prosperity of All – Our Responsibility, Our Opportunity, Summary Points of Leadership Dialogues and Outcome
- Index
Summary
An organic linkage exists between the international environmental law-making process and the design of the architecture of international environmental governance (IEG). The prognosis of the global environmental problematique from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the 2022 Stockholm+50 Meeting and beyond shows the workings of a marathon global environmental regulatory enterprise. Still, after more than 50 years, the nature, content, quality, and actual workings of the legal instruments are worrisome. In a state-centric global order, we need an honest introspection on the architecture of IEG. What will it take to overhaul the existing structures to secure our planetary future? Is it possible without a de novo entity? Can we revive and repurpose the UN Trusteeship Council with a new mandate for the environment and global commons? Within the limits of time and space, this chapter looks back in order to ideate and look ahead to secure a robust IEG architecture for our common planetary environmental future.
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- Fifty Years of International Environmental LawDevelopments since the 1972 Stockholm Conference, pp. 109 - 128Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
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