The Role of International Law Concerning Deforestation and Desertificat

The Role of International Law Concerning Deforestation and Desertification The surface of the earth is, in a sense, its skin-a thin but crucial layer protecting the rest of the planet contained within it. Far more than a simple boundary, it interacts in complex ways with the volatile atmosphere above and the raw earth below. It may seem hard to imagine it as a critical component of the ecological balance, but in fact, the health of the earth’s surface is vital to the health of the global environment as a whole. ~Al Gore Deforestation and Desertification. These lucrative concepts echo throughout the environmental movement both past and present. The realization and analyzation of the human species’ manipulation of the environment has stimulated a profound movement towards the protection and maintenance of every aspect to the environment. The pursuit of wealth and power are now being questioned in accordance to the justification of environmental degradation. Today the solutions to all environmental degradation cannot solely be left to national governments. These global issues require international attention and action and the ultimate submission of certain national sovereignty. This protective â€Å"skin† of our earth is in utter turmoil and can solely rely on an international environmental movement. Can the pursuit of wealth and power justify the loss of the environment- the very body that supports all living organisms? The actions of all humans today are manipulating indefinite aspects to the environment and sadly enough, the continuance of the human species in generations to come. In order to assess the significance of international environmental law in accordance with deforestation and desertificatio... ...Nigel. â€Å"Opportunities to save and Sustainably Use the World’s Forests Through International Cooperation.† (1999):33. Online. Internet. 14 March 1999. Available: http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/forestry/sizer.html Slomanson, William R. Fundamental Perspectives on International Law. 2nd ed. Minnesota: West Publishing Co., 1995. Steger, Will and Jon Bowermaster. Saving the Earth: A Citizen’s Guide to Environmental Action. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990. Switzer, Jacqeline. Environmental Politics. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998 "U8830 International Land Resources Managment: Combating Desertification, Deforestation, and Biodiversity Loss." 1996: 9 pp. Online. Netscape. 11 Apr. 1999. Available: http:/www.iisd.ca/linkages/pam/lecture3.html. http://www.cnie.org/nce/clim-4.html http://moby.ucdavis.edu/gaws/10711quebec/gpoup4.html