International Law and Policy of Sustainable Development

It is generally accepted that sustainable development has now become a central objective of the international community. As recently reaffirmed by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, the integration of environmental, developmental and social challenges is fundamental if the international community is to tackle global poverty and other acute inequalities, whilst at the same time responding to issues of global environmental degradation. The book examines the politics and history of the term, before moving on to analyse relevant principles of international law in the field of sustainable development. It then provides an in-depth study of the international legal and policy implications of sustainable development, with particular reference to its implementation within the climate change and biodiversity regimes and a number of key international economic institutions, such as the WTO and World Bank. This book will be of particular interest to academics, policy-makers and students in a diverse range of fields, including international environmental law and politics, international economic law, and international development.