ABSTRACT
In order to examine differential treatment for developing countries in international environmental law it is helpful to understand the sources from which that law is derived. International environmental law has the same sources as international law, as it is a specialized branch of that general law. Treaties are the most frequently used method for creating binding international environmental law. Few "principles" of international environmental law qualify as customary according to the traditional version of customary international law. Several of the principles in international environmental law are an expression of the ideals of the international community, but of course, the hope is that some of these ideals will in turn become treaties. Although it is a new field, international environmental law has been foreshadowed in earlier international agreements and cases. At the Stockholm Conference, the developing countries resisted highlighting environmental issues because they were afraid that would slow down their economic development and limit their sovereignty.
