This book offers an intensive investigation of past and present achievements and failures in international environmental law.

International Environmental Disputes is a thought-provoking examination of the world's most pressing environmental problems and the attempts to remedy them through international law. From the dumping of ash in the Danube and the disposal of waste in western Africa to the effects of the Everglades sugar industry, the work explores such topics as the role of the United Nations, the debate over sustainable development, environmental ethics, biopiracy, and radioactive material in space satellites.

The book covers issues such as treaties on the ozone layer, global climate change, and the Kyoto protocol. A chapter devoted to the United States discusses the international environmental impact of its economy. Biographical sketches introduce readers to a diverse cast of characters including a New Guinea tribal elder and a Japanese TV personality.