Environment

Ozone depletion causes a greenhouse effect and thus global warning. The causes of ozone depletion are chlorofluorocarbons, gases from aerosols, refrigerant particles, among other things from mainly industrialized nations - 20% of the world using 80% of all its energy. See UNEP - environmental programme for action on ozone.

Desertification is caused by us and leads to climate change: When we destroy the potential of land through deforestation for the purpose of agricultural expansion, and the loss of vegetation from overgrazing. Desertification causes the migration of people and animals. Building walls to keep people out also keep out migrating animals which could lead to extinction of some species.

Deforestation - Rain-forests are the lungs of planet Earth. Twenty percent (20%) of Earth's land surface is rain forests. Located in Brazil, West Africa and South East Asia, these forests contain one-half of all species of animals and plants. Many of these plants provide us with modern plants and medicines. Some medicinal plants are yet to be, and may never be, discovered because of the speed with which we are destroying these forests. Deforestation leads to habitat loss, extinction of flora and fauna, and loss of biodiversity. See UNGAR, and ILO - International Labour Organization Convention on Rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent countries.

Biospheric Protections are provided for under International law via UN Conventions, and some national laws by those countries which are signatories to the Conventions.

Endangered Species: These include elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses. Even though there has always been extinction, human consumption appears to have accelerated the process for some animals. The UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) offers some protection.

Endangered Sea Life - res nullius (property owned by no one, but capable of being acquired by unilateral acts) is the general cry of some countries relative to driftnet fishing, elephant poaching, and the expansion of agriculture and commercial tree harvesting in, and from rain-forests. See UNCLOS - Convention on Law of the Sea - subject to universal jurisdiction; and UNGAR - General Assembly Resolutions affecting Driftnet Fishing.

Human Behaviour - Disposal of our garbage, including nuclear waste, affect ocean life and the biosphere generally. A major factor in international law regarding the destruction of species and ecosystems are free trade agreements. That is because General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), part of the WTO, may in certain circumstances obstruct environmental protections. Other factor affecting the environment are populations growth, and military conflicts.

The Law of War, for example, has standards for acceptable warring behaviour: jus ad bellum - due considerations are given as whether it would be just to enter into war; jus in bello considers the way a war is conducted from an International Humanitarian perspective - wars destroy not only innocent people but interdependent ecosystems and environments. E.g. The UN Secretariat has recently indicated that the war against Ukraine could lead to world hunger affecting the world's poorest people.