International commitment to carbon reduction - Introduction
SINGAPORE – International environmental law plays an important role in carbon reduction. The Paris Agreement 2015 has a significant action plan for carbon reduction. There are four important sources of international environmental law, such as Conventions and Treaties, Customary International Law, Principles of International Law, and Scholarly Law works. International Environmental Law has both aspects of legality, as hard law and soft law. It is broadly considered hard law, which has enforceability, while the soft law is weak. However, the international environmental law lacks several aspects of enforceability in the court of law.
International Environmental Law is one of the branches of public international law, and it is dedicated to protecting the global environment. It is supported by treaties, conventions, customary laws, and guiding principles that regulate and guide states and international organisations. The primary goal is to establish a legal framework for preventing pollution, conserve natural resources, and has the noble cause of achieving sustainable development for both present and future generations.
There are several principles that guide the creation and interpretation of international environmental agreements. Among the most important principles are discussed here for the brevity of understanding it.
- Sustainable Development: It is defined and discussed in the 1987 Brundtland Report. It aims to promote development in which the needs of today are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. It attempts to integrate the economic, social, and environmental objectives.
- Precautionary Principle: This aims to prevent environmental damage, degradation.
- Polluter Pays Principle: - This principle imposes a penalty on polluters.
- Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR): This is the principle of equity. It persuades developed nations to contribute towards the historical environmental degradation in favour of developing nations in terms of greater financial and technological capacities. It results in bearing a greater share of the burden in addressing global environmental challenges.