Transboundary Damage in International Law (Cambridge Studies in International and Comparative Law, Series Number 27)

The Chernobyl disaster, the Amoco Cadiz oil spill and the Colorado River dispute are examples of an activity conducted by one state which has serious adverse effects in the territory of another, or in global common areas. This book details the international rules and compensation procedures and is intended for use by governmental officials, international lawyers and jurists. It discusses existing laws on international liability and considers the underlying legal issues that require further development. It is one of the few books on the subject written from the perspective of a developing country with rapid economic and social development. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 4 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Foreword......Page 11 OSCAR SCHACHTER......Page 13 Preface and acknowledgments......Page 15 Nuclear field......Page 18 Air space and outer space......Page 19 Maritime area......Page 21 International transportation......Page 24 International waters......Page 25 Others......Page 26 List of cases......Page 28 Abbreviations......Page 30 1 Introduction......Page 33 The scope of the subject: the definition of transboundary damage......Page 35 The physical relationship between the activity and the damage......Page 36 The requirement of human causality......Page 38 The threshold criterion......Page 39 The transboundary movement of harmful effects......Page 40 Three perspectives......Page 42 Accidental damage......Page 43 Non-accidental damage......Page 45 Damage to the global commons......Page 47 PART I ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE......Page 49 The factual context......Page 51 Nuclear activities......Page 52 Maritime oil transportation......Page 56 Other hazardous substances......Page 58 The existing legal regimes on accidental damage......Page 62 The nuclear regime......Page 65 The objectives......Page 68 The party liable......Page 69 The extent of liability......Page 71 Financial guarantees......Page 74 The exoneration of liability......Page 75 Procedural rules......Page 76 The objectives......Page 77 The party liable......Page 78 The extent of liability......Page 80 Financial guarantees......Page 81 The exoneration of liability......Page 82 Procedural rules......Page 83 The regime for maritime accidents......Page 84 The party liable......Page 86 The extent of liability......Page 87 Financial guarantees......Page 90 Procedural rules......Page 91 The regime for accidents caused by hazardous substances......Page 92 The extent of liability......Page 95 Financial guarantees......Page 97 Procedural rules......Page 98 Other relevant instruments......Page 99 The question of attribution: State responsibility......Page 105 Liability and insurance: the issue of channeling......Page 112 Recoverable damage......Page 118 Loss of life and personal injury......Page 119 Property damage......Page 121 The costs of preventive measures, response, and reinstatement......Page 126 Procedural aspects and problems......Page 130 Treaty provisions and general rules......Page 131 The principles of non-discrimination......Page 137 PART II NON-ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE......Page 143 4 Liability for non-accidental damage......Page 145 Air pollution......Page 146 Pollution of water resources......Page 151 Damage caused by land use......Page 160 The doctrine of sovereignty and balance of interests......Page 163 The national domain and the concept of shared resources......Page 168 The balancing of interests......Page 176 The criterion of harm......Page 190 The doctrine of due diligence......Page 194 The duty of assessment of harm......Page 197 The duty of notification and the right to be notified......Page 200 The duty of consultation and negotiation......Page 205 Procedural duties and substantive rights and obligations......Page 207 Proof of actual injury and evidence of causation......Page 210 Restitution (restitutio ad integrum)......Page 214 Compensation......Page 216 PART III DAMAGE TO THE GLOBAL COMMONS......Page 221 6 Liability for damage to the global commons......Page 223 The concept and the context......Page 224 The high seas......Page 225 Outer space......Page 228 The atmosphere......Page 232 The polar regions......Page 236 The existing legal regimes for the global commons......Page 239 Prohibiting certain harmful activities in the common areas......Page 240 Protection of the ocean......Page 243 Outer space law......Page 251 Protection of the atmosphere......Page 252 The Antarctic regime......Page 264 Private international rules of liability for certain types of harmful activities in the commons......Page 266 7 Legal issues relating to damage to the global commons......Page 268 Erga omnes obligations and the question of standing......Page 269 The element of harm......Page 283 Environmental damage......Page 284 Prevention and mitigation costs......Page 287 Clean-up and remedial measures......Page 288 Punitive damages......Page 289 Limitation of liability......Page 290 Institutional and financial mechanisms......Page 291 PART IV UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES......Page 299 8 The nature and basis of international liability......Page 301 The character of the rules governing transboundary liability......Page 302 Normativity......Page 303 Equity......Page 309 Efficiency......Page 315 The basis of international liability......Page 321 The notion of fault......Page 327 Strict liability and liability for risk on the international plane......Page 331 The basis of State responsibility and liability in the present context......Page 344 An appraisal......Page 349 The principle of prevention......Page 354 The polluter pays principle......Page 355 The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities......Page 356 The principle of sustainable development......Page 357 The prospects......Page 359 Articles......Page 365 Books and official documents......Page 378 Index......Page 388 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series-title 4 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Foreword 11 OSCAR SCHACHTER 13 Preface and acknowledgments 15 List of treaties 18 Nuclear field 18 Air space and outer space 19 Maritime area 21 Polar regions 24 International transportation 24 Chemical and other toxic and hazardous substances 25 International waters 25 Others 26 List of cases 28 Abbreviations 30 1 Introduction 33 The scope of the subject: the definition of transboundary damage 35 The physical relationship between the activity and the damage 36 The requirement of human causality 38 The threshold criterion 39 The transboundary movement of harmful effects 40 Three perspectives 42 Accidental damage 43 Non-accidental damage 45 Damage to the global commons 47 PART I ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE 49 2 Liability for accidental damage 51 The factual context 51 Nuclear activities 52 Space activities 56 Maritime oil transportation 56 Other hazardous substances 58 The existing legal regimes on accidental damage 62 The nuclear regime 65 The objectives 68 The party liable 69 The extent of liability 71 Financial guarantees 74 The exoneration of liability 75 Procedural rules 76 The outer space regime 77 The objectives 77 The party liable 78 The extent of liability 80 Financial guarantees 81 The exoneration of liability 82 Procedural rules 83 The regime for maritime accidents 84 The objectives 86 The party liable 86 The extent of liability 87 Financial guarantees 90 The exoneration of liability 91 Procedural rules 91 The regime for accidents caused by hazardous substances 92 The objectives 95 The party liable 95 The extent of liability 95 Financial guarantees 97 The exoneration of liability 98 Procedural rules 98 Other relevant instruments 99 3 Substantive rules and principles: issues and problems 105 The question of attribution: State responsibility 105 Liability and insurance: the issue of channeling 112 Recoverable damage 118 Loss of life and personal injury 119 Property damage 121 The costs of preventive measures, response, and reinstatement 126 Procedural aspects and problems 130 Treaty provisions and general rules 131 The principles of non-discrimination 137 PART II NON-ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE 143 4 Liability for non-accidental damage 145 The factual setting 146 Air pollution 146 Pollution of water resources 151 Damage caused by land use 160 The doctrine of sovereignty and balance of interests 163 The national domain and the concept of shared resources 168 The balancing of interests 176 The criterion of harm 190 5 The doctrine of due diligence and standards of conduct 194 The doctrine of due diligence 194 The procedural duties 197 The duty of assessment of harm 197 The duty of notification and the right to be notified 200 The duty of consultation and negotiation 205 Procedural duties and substantive rights and obligations 207 Legal issues relating to non-accidental damage 210 Proof of actual injury and evidence of causation 210 Remedies 214 Restitution (restitutio ad integrum) 214 Compensation 216 PART III DAMAGE TO THE GLOBAL COMMONS 221 6 Liability for damage to the global commons 223 The concept and the context 224 The high seas 225 Outer space 228 The atmosphere 232 The polar regions 236 The existing legal regimes for the global commons 239 Prohibiting certain harmful activities in the common areas 240 General rules of State responsibility for damage to the global commons 243 Protection of the ocean 243 Outer space law 251 Protection of the atmosphere 252 The Antarctic regime 264 Private international rules of liability for certain types of harmful activities in the commons 266 7 Legal issues relating to damage to the global commons 268 Erga omnes obligations and the question of standing 269 The element of harm 283 Environmental damage 284 Prevention and mitigation costs 287 Clean-up and remedial measures 288 Punitive damages 289 Limitation of liability 290 State liability 291 Institutional and financial mechanisms 291 PART IV UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES 299 8 The nature and basis of international liability 301 The character of the rules governing transboundary liability 302 Normativity 303 Equity 309 Efficiency 315 The basis of international liability 321 The notion of fault 327 Strict liability and liability for risk on the international plane 331 The basis of State responsibility and liability in the present context 344 9 Conclusions 349 An appraisal 349 The principle of prevention 354 The polluter pays principle 355 The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities 356 The principle of sustainable development 357 The prospects 359 Bibliography 365 Articles 365 Books and official documents 378 Index 388 The Chernobyl disaster and the 'Amoco Cadiz' oil spill are examples of environmental catastrophes that have crossed national borders and resulted in complex legal disputes in international law. Professor Xue details the international rules and compensation procedures that apply to transboundary environmental disputes in this well-researched and comprehensive book. At the same time as she discusses existing laws on international liability, she also considers those underlying legal issues that require further development. Written from the perspective of a country coping with rapid economic and social development, this book offers an examination of the problems of transnational environmental damage from a fresh and challenging new perspective. As well as scholars and upper-level students, this book will interest government officials, international lawyers and jurists. "The Chernobyl disaster and the "Amoco Cadiz" oil spill are examples of environmental catastrophes that have crossed national borders and resulted in complex legal disputes in international law. Xue Hanqin details the international rules and compensation procedures that apply to transboundary environmental disputes in this well researched and comprehensive book. As she discusses existing laws on international liability, she also considers those underlying legal issues that require further development. Written from the perspective of a country coping with rapid economic and social development, this book offers an examination of the problems of transnational environmental damage from a fresh and challenging new perspective. As well as scholars and upper-level students, this book will interest government officials, international lawyers and jurists."--BOOK JACKET

The Chernobyl disaster, "Amoco Cadiz" oil spill and the Colorado River dispute are examples of an activity conducted by one state which has serious adverse effects in the territory of another or in global common areas. This book details the international rules and compensation procedures for governmental officials, international lawyers and jurists. It covers existing laws on international liability and the underlying legal issues that require further development.

The Chernobyl disaster is an example of an activity conducted by one state which has caused serious adverse effects in another. This study of the international rules and procedure for compensation for victims will be of use to academics and professionals involved with transboundary disputes.