ABSTRACT
The objective of this chapter is to discuss and assess the direction of development of international environmental law, as evidenced by the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (‘UNCED’). This objective is undertaken by first considering the degree to which the issues raised in preceding chapters were dealt with. For example, to what extent is there evidence of an emerging ecocentric approach within international environmental law? To what extent have sovereign interests given way to common interests? Has CHL or any concept like it emerged? In addition, this discussion will briefly consider the extent to which UNCED addressed some of the more basic challenges facing international law, which were outlined in the chapter 6 discussion of implementation of CHL. To what extent have the demands of global environmental issues resulted in new approaches to traditional treaty regimes? For example, have new approaches to decision-making, implementation and enforcement emerged in the documents produced at UNCED?
