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1.3 International Legislation
Accomplishing global health with justice requires interdisciplinary and international cooperation, and leadership at all levels. International law can be classified
into private international law and public international law.
Public international law administers relations not only between different nationals but also amongst states as well as international organizations like Council of
Europe, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as
these international organizations are created by international laws.
Private international law governs between non-state entities like individuals,
associations or corporations.
Following are the examples wherein international pollution was governed in
early stages:
• International agreements such as the treaty between Canada and the USA in
1909
• Arbitration in the 1941 award between Canada and the United States in case of
Trail Smelter case (Box 1.1).
The early international legislations include the following:
• London Convention to Preserve Fauna and Flora in their Natural State in 1933
• London Convention for the Prevention of the Pollution of the Sea by Oil in 1954
• Antarctic Treaty forbidding all nuclear activities on the sixth continent in 1959
• Moscow Treaty regarding military uses and ban on nuclear weapons testing in
the atmosphere in outer space and under water in 1963
• Treaty on the Principles Governing the Exploration and Use of Outer Space in 1967
• European Water Charter adopted by Council of Europe in 1968
• Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971
• London Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals in 1972
The late 1800s as well as the 1900s saw the invention of vaccines for cholera,
combined measles, mumps, and rubella, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B,
Box 1.1 Trail Smelter Case
The Trail Smelter is an integrated smelting as well as refining complex in
Trail, British Columbia. The smelter fumes from Trail affected Farmers in
Stevens County, Washington. Some farmers petitioned the local and federal
governments for assistance. After diplomatic discussion, the United States
and Canada agreed to have the International Joint Commission (IJC) review
the matter (Sullivan 2018). IJC gave partial decision in 1938 and final decision in 1941 (Catherine 2014). The tribunal declared that “no state has right
use or permit the use of its territory in such a manner as to cause injury fumes
in or to the territory of another or the properties or persons therein, when the
case is of serious consequences”.
1 Environmental Legislation
1.3 International Legislation
Accomplishing global health with justice requires interdisciplinary and international cooperation, and leadership at all levels. International law can be classified
into private international law and public international law.
Public international law administers relations not only between different nationals but also amongst states as well as international organizations like Council of
Europe, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as
these international organizations are created by international laws.
Private international law governs between non-state entities like individuals,
associations or corporations.
Following are the examples wherein international pollution was governed in
early stages:
• International agreements such as the treaty between Canada and the USA in
1909
• Arbitration in the 1941 award between Canada and the United States in case of
Trail Smelter case (Box 1.1).
The early international legislations include the following:
• London Convention to Preserve Fauna and Flora in their Natural State in 1933
• London Convention for the Prevention of the Pollution of the Sea by Oil in 1954
• Antarctic Treaty forbidding all nuclear activities on the sixth continent in 1959
• Moscow Treaty regarding military uses and ban on nuclear weapons testing in
the atmosphere in outer space and under water in 1963
• Treaty on the Principles Governing the Exploration and Use of Outer Space in 1967
• European Water Charter adopted by Council of Europe in 1968
• Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971
• London Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals in 1972
The late 1800s as well as the 1900s saw the invention of vaccines for cholera,
combined measles, mumps, and rubella, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B,
Box 1.1 Trail Smelter Case
The Trail Smelter is an integrated smelting as well as refining complex in
Trail, British Columbia. The smelter fumes from Trail affected Farmers in
Stevens County, Washington. Some farmers petitioned the local and federal
governments for assistance. After diplomatic discussion, the United States
and Canada agreed to have the International Joint Commission (IJC) review
the matter (Sullivan 2018). IJC gave partial decision in 1938 and final decision in 1941 (Catherine 2014). The tribunal declared that “no state has right
use or permit the use of its territory in such a manner as to cause injury fumes
in or to the territory of another or the properties or persons therein, when the
case is of serious consequences”.
1 Environmental Legislation