Legal Definitions - international environmental law

International environmental law is a set of rules that govern the actions of countries and international organizations in relation to the environment. It covers areas such as the management of oceans and fisheries, the regulation of carbon emissions, and the protection of the polar ice caps.

Examples of international treaties that address environmental issues include:

• The 1972 UN Convention on the Human Environment
• The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which produced the Rio Declaration
• The 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which entered into force on February 16, 2005
• The 2002 World Earth Summit

These treaties illustrate how countries and international organizations work together to address global environmental issues. For example, the Kyoto Protocol aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change, while the World Earth Summit focuses on sustainable development and the protection of natural resources.