Cristina VeronesPhD Candidate

Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, GenevaTeaching Assistant

Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Outsourcing Pressure – Private Implementation of International

Environmental Law

• Introduction – Why talk about „private parties“?

• Some reasons for limited State action• A unified analysis of international mechanisms

open to private parties• The need for further analysis• Conclusion

Why is State action limited?

• Public good character• Problems of standing• Factual problems

• Lack of resources• Corruption

European Court of Human Rights

World Bank Inspection Panel

OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

European Court of Justice

CITES Secretariat

International Centre for Settlement of

Investment Disputes

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Access

1 2 30

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16Number of mechanisms per access category

Num

ber

of m

echa

nism

s

Access category

Immediately open

Direct Direct with legal condition

Indirect Restricted

„How easy is it to reach the mechanism?“

Aarhus NCP

World Bank Inspection

Panel European Court of Human Rights

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

European Court of Justice

Applicable law

1 3 50

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Num

ber

of m

echa

nism

s

Applicable law category

IEL directly applicable

Overlapping Rules

IEL soft

Law applicable to the merits

Alpine Convention

NCP

Human Rights

Committee

OECD Guidelines

2 3

Outcome

1 2 30

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Num

ber

of m

echa

nism

s

Outcome category

Specific, general

& binding

Specific, general & non-binding

General & non-binding

Specific & binding

Specific & non-binding

What can the parties „get“ at the end?Inter-

American Court of Human Rights

World Bank

Inspection Panel

North American

Agreement on Environmental

Cooperation

UNCITRAL

Latin American

Water Tribunal

Specific relief: specific violation in concrete case past oriented financial compensation

General relief: change „system“ future oriented potentially broader

The access – outcome dilemma

1 2 3 4 50

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

AccessLinear (Access)OutcomeLinear (Outcome)

Num

ber

of m

echa

nism

s

Access and Outcome categories

Access and OutcomeOutcome

Access1

1

immediately open

2

2

3

3

4

4 5

5

direct direct with legal condition

indirect restricted

Specific, general &

non-binding

Specific, general

& binding

General & non-binding

Specific, &

binding

Specific, & non- binding

IACtHR

Conclusion

Thank you!