ABSTRACT
Makane Moïse Mbengue, in his contribution, explains that international environmental law has been, since its very inception, a fertile ground for non-state actors. The latter were even at the core of environmental protection long before states and international organizations started to shape rules and policies concerning the preservation of natural resources and ecosystems. Based on what he calls ‘a Rousseauist perspective’, his chapter depicts the emergence and evolution of the role of non-state actors in the field of environment protection. It also highlights the legal and institutional mechanics through which non-state actors contribute to the architecture of the ‘environment global partnership’ and have been able to produce self-regulation in order to foster sustainable development.
