Complex adaptive systems are a special kind of self-organizing system with emergent properties and adaptive capacity in response to changing external conditions. In this article, we investigate the proposition that international environmental law, as a network of treaties and institutions, exhibits some key characteristics of a complex adaptive system. This proposition is premised on the scient...

Concerns have been raised regarding the ability of international environmental law to respond potentially irreversible earth system transformations in Anthropocene. We argue that order for capacity socio-ecological challenges Anthropocene, it should embrace an perspective. Earth law, which is grounded perspective, has proposed as a new epistemic framework facilitate legal necessary such challen...

In February 2011, the Seabed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea handed down its Advisory Opinion in Responsibilities and Obligations of States Sponsoring Persons and Entities with respect to Activities in the Area. Although primarily focused on governance of the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction (‘the Area’), the Opinion has wider relevance for both int...

M. le Recteur, Dean Bocken, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is a great pleasure and honour to be here today to receive the Elisabeth Haub Prize, an award for which I am extremely grateful as I am well aware of the many distinguished scholars and practitioners who have preceded me in this position of honoured guest. So, let me first of all thank the Haub family whose generosity made this award possible...