Liability for Environmental Harm to the Global Commons

A full examination of global legal rules governing liability for environmental harm in areas beyond the national jurisdiction of states.

This book examines liability for environmental harm in Antarctic, deep seabed, and high seas commons areas. It is the first in-depth examination and evaluation of current liability rules and provides possible avenues for future legal developments in international environmental law and the law of the sea.This book examines liability for environmental harm in Antarctic, deep seabed, and high seas commons areas, highlighting a unique set of legal questions: Who has standing to claim environmental harms in global commons ecosystems? How should questions of causation and liability be addressed where harm arises from a variety of activities by state and non-state actors? What kinds of harm should be compensable in global commons ecosystems, which are remote and characterized by high levels of scientific uncertainty? How can practical concerns such as ensuring adequate funds for compensation be resolved? This book provides the first in-depth examination and evaluation of current rules and possible avenues for future legal developments in this area of increasing importance for states, international organizations, commercial actors, and legal and governance scholars. This title is part of the Flip it Open Programme and may also be available Open Access. Check our website Cambridge Core for details.