Rethinking Polluter Pays: Would “Exploiter Pays” Achieve More?

By ilrdigit | November 27, 2023 |

Written by Sierra Buehlman Barbeau Introduction: One of the fundamental challenges of international environmental law in the 21st century is determining responsibility and reparations for the harms stemming from climate change. When considering the massive damages developing countries and low-lying countries have experienced and will face due to climate change, there is much debate over…

Addressing the Cocaine Hippo in the Room: Ethical Dilemmas of Invasive Species Management under the Biodiversity Convention 

By ilrdigit | October 20, 2023 |

Written By Kathleen Burns The hippopotamus is listed as a vulnerable species and is facing serious anthropogenic threats in Africa.[1] Across the Atlantic Ocean, however, hippos are thriving in the Magdalena River basin of Colombia, making them the largest invasive animal in the world.[2] Their devastating impact on the surrounding environment presents an ethical dilemma…

Proposed Criminal Law Changes to Threaten North Macedonia’s Decades Long EU Ascension Aspirations

By ilrdigit | October 9, 2023 |

Written by Caitlyn Olson   Introduction Shortly after North Macedonia gained its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, the Balkan state sought to rapidly establish its international legitimacy by becoming a member of the United Nations and signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union (EU).[1] In 2004, the Agreement entered into…

Shoot for the Star(link)s – But First You Need a Targeting Analysis

By ilrdigit | September 29, 2023 |

Written by Elizabeth Staffeldt   INTRODUCTION The war in Ukraine has been a large part of the daily news cycle since the invasion in February 2022.[i] From the beginning, states have been providing aid to Ukraine by way of money and military goods.[ii] States have not been the only contributors to Ukraine’s fight against Russia.…

Positive Obligations and Climate Change Under the European Convention on Human Rights

By ilrdigit | September 6, 2023 |

Written by Alejandra Ureta Melcon   States’ blatant failure to take sufficient action, especially concerning mitigating emissions, has caused climate change to cross the line from a political talking point to a human rights emergency. Although the European Convention on Human Rights (“ECHR”) does not enshrine a specific right to a healthy environment, the European…