Chinese

Widespread concern about the need for global action for the protection of the natural environment is a relatively recent phenomenon. Some interstate efforts to address problems relating to the oceans, endangered species, and other natural resources, date back to the nineteenth century. This course introduces you to treaty law and key concepts of international environmental law. International environmental law is a relatively recent subset of international law. It will take you 90 minutes approximately to complete the course, excluding additional materials.

This course provides an overview of the international legal framework in the fight against ozone depletion. First, it describes the threats posed to the ozone layer by the use of ozone-depleting substances and analyzes the main obligations under the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol. A brief analysis of main achievements and challenges illustrates the success in reducing the Ozone layer and the need to continue working globally to find substitutes with low global warming potential to ozonedepleting substances.

Land-based sources account for the 82% of the total marine pollution. Pollution from vessels can take the forms of oil, chemicals, lost cargo and equipment, sewage, garbage, fumes and invasive exotic species. Dumping is the deliberate disposal of wastes at sea. Offshore activity generates minor pollution primarily through the use of oily drilling muds and by production blow outs. This course introduces you to the international legal framework on marine pollution, which covers global and regional legally binding and non-legally binding agreements addressing different sources of pollution.

The emergence of environmental protection obligations and of the principle of sustainable development, as well as the increased awareness that water resources have to be managed in a holistic approach, have highlighted the need to integrate existing water regulation regimes with rules and principles concerning the environmental aspects of freshwater resources, and to regulate the quantitative and qualitative aspects in an integrated manner. This course introduces you to the international legal framework on freshwater resources, which covers global and regional agreements.