ABSTRACT
“The Earth is one but the world is not” begins the Brundtland Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. Indeed, states are divided whereas the biosphere exists as a unit. This fact makes environmental politics an interesting case of reflection for the principle of sovereignty. In the 1960s, during the decolonization process, developing countries insisted upon controlling their natural resources. Many were suspicious of Western environmental intentions, fearing a form of neocolonialism. However, the supremacy of state sovereignty is not universally accepted as an impediment to environmental protection. International law already includes principles that limit sovereignty. Following the preventive action principle a state cannot use its territory in a way that damages the environment of another state. Moreover, international treaties qualify sovereignty rights by assigning specific obligations to states.
