State Sovereignty:
Common Concern:
The global environment is a common concern of humanity.
Duty Not to Cause Environmental Harm.
Common but Differentiated Responsibilities.
The “Polluter Pays” Principle.
National authorities should promote the internalization of environmental costs, reflecting the approach that the polluter should bear the cost of pollution.
Environmental Impact Assessment.
The Precautionary Principle.
Public Participation.
Notification and Consultation.
Peaceful Resolution of Disputes.
Countries shall resolve all of their environmental disputes peacefully.
Countries have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies.
Countries have the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other countries or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.
In view of the different contributions to global environmental degradation, countries have common but differentiated responsibilities.
Environmental impact assessment shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment.
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.
Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens.
Countries shall provide prior and timely notification to, and consult with, potentially affected countries on activities that may have a significant adverse transboundary environmental effect.