In many African contexts, the exploitation of nature has proven to be, in more than one way, a legally permitted curse. For a long time indeed, the law served to legitimize an instrumental conception of nature, reduced to a mere stock of exploitable resources.
Over the past few decades, an international environmental law has taken shape, attempting to reconcile the protection of natural environments with the economic imperatives of investors.
Yet, as climate change and the collapse of biodiversity attest, these efforts have largely fallen short.
In response, a new legal approach is emerging, inspired Indigenous traditions from South America and Africa, which envision Nature as a holder of rights.
Far from being a mere ideological projection, this recognition marks a major epistemological shift that is beginning to influence even Western legal traditions.
The recognition of nature’s rights within international law could radically transform prevailing legal regimes, especially those governing investment protection and global trade. Meaningful change may there be on the horizon, offering Nature a long-overdue voice in international affairs.
My contributions on this topic:
To be published: “¡Sí, el cielo tiene límite!
Cuando los derechos de la naturaleza irrumpen en el derecho internacional de las inversiones: una alternativa sudamericana y africana a los paradigmas jurídicos neoliberales“
➢ “La prise en compte de l’environnement par l’industrie extractive mondiale ou comment la lex mercatoria pourrait sauver notre planète”, in Jalons pour une économie verte, 2012, pp.485-500.
➢ “Les Aspects Environnementaux du Traité de la Charte de l’Energie”, Revue Hellénique de Droit International, 2013, vol.66, pp.163-194485-500.
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