The Stockholm Declaration and the Structure and Processes of International Environmental Law

Abstract

The article considers the impact, and relevance, of the 1972 Stockholm Declaration of the Human Environment in the contemporary context of international environmental law.. Its role as the first major document that cast environmental concerns as global concerns makes the Declaration especially helpful in exploring the conceptual foundations of international environmental law. The article explores five major principles that reflect the evolution of international environmental law since 1972. It argues that, irrespective of their legal status, international environmental law principles influence state action, as is evident, inter alia, in treaty-making, judicial decisions, and domestic law-making.

Keywords: Stockholm Declaration, international environmental law