Natural Resources Grabbing An International Law Perspective

Natural Resources Grabbing: An International Law Perspective aims at filling a gap in legal literature by addressing the adverse effects that large-scale investments in natural resources may pose to fundamental human rights and the protection of the environment.

'This book is a very welcome addition to publications on globalisation and natural resources management. It adopts a very broad approach to this important subject – it includes the general issues, such as trade and investment. It deals with very complex questions of permanent sovereignty over natural resources; the right to development; the role of indigenous peoples in resource management. This publication also provides the reader with general underlying principles and approaches to natural resources management, such as sustainable use; the precautionary principle; the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and the ecosystem approach, regulatory approach etc. The book is very analytical and gives a lot of food for thought for readers.' – Malgosia Fitzmaurice, Queen Mary, University of London, UK 'The book is the first of its kind to deal in depth with complex, cross-cutting issues relating to globalization and natural resources. The authors demonstrate not only a broad range of knowledge but also provides deep insights into what will be needed to make the transition from economic globalization to sustainable globalization, including improved resource efficiency and sustainable development, and inclusive and participatory governance. In particular, the authors consider specific approaches in such sectors as water resources, renewable energy, and biological resources. The book has carefully documented and analyzed numerous international, regional, and national legal frameworks as well as relevant theories and principles. It is a must for every law library as well as for policy makers, administrators, academics, non-governmental bodies, and civil societies. We owe a great debt to the authors for their painstaking, comprehensive research.' – Koh Kheng-Lian, National University of Singapore 'Globalization as a means of aptly capturing political, social, cultural, and above all else economic phenomena has been well-documented and the subject of a multitude of comment. What has perhaps been less well studied is its relationship with natural resource management. Thus this work by Merino-Blanco and Razzaque is to be commended. Moreover, by focusing on globalization, an important truth is revealed. It is neither about the diminution of the role of the State nor the ascendancy of the multinational corporation, but rather a more nuanced and complex interaction, which we are only beginning to appreciate. This book is an important contribution to that debate.' – Duncan French, University of Sheffield, UK 'While sustainable development requires State regulation of the exploitation of natural resources, globalisation, as originally conceived, pushed for "free and unfettered" markets creating a fundamental tension between the two approaches. This book attempts to find a way towards their reconciliation with inspiring results. The book explores many themes, especially how globalisation may contribute to the solution of the problems it has caused by helping to empower non-state actors around the world so that the international decision-making processes become more inclusive, transparent and oriented towards sustainable development.' – Ximena Fuentes, Universidad Alonso Ibanez, Chile and ILA Co-Rapporteur on the Commission on Sustainable Development This book examines the complex relationships between trade, human rights and the environment within natural resources law. It discusses key theories and challenges whilst exploring the concepts and approaches available to manage crucial natural resources in both developed and developing countries. Primarily aimed at undergraduates and postgraduates, it includes exercises, questions and discussion topics for courses on globalisation and /or natural resources law as well as an ample bibliography for those interested in further research. The book will therefore serve as an invaluable reference tool for academics, researchers and activists alike.

International Natural Resources Law, Investment and Sustainability provides a clear and concise insight into the relationship between the institutions that govern foreign investment, sustainable development and the rules and regulations that administer natural resources. In this book, several leading experts explore different perspectives in how investment and natural resources come together to achieve sustainable development in developing countries with examples from water, oil and gas, renewable energy, mineral, agriculture, and carbon trading. Despite varying perspectives, it is clear that several themes are central in considering the linkages between natural resources, investment and sustainability. Specifically, transparency, good governance and citizen empowerment are vital conditions which encourage positive social, economic and environmental outcomes for developing countries. In addition, this book provides new insights into key concepts which underpin international law, including sovereign rights and state responsibility principles. It is clear from this book that in the attempt to reconcile these concepts and principles from separate legal regimes, complex policy questions emerge whereby it is difficult to attain mutually beneficial or succinct outcomes. This book explores how countries prioritise their policy objectives to achieve their notion of sustainable natural resource use, which is strongly influenced by power imbalances that inform North–South cooperation, as well as South–South cooperation in the international investment regime. This book will be of great interest to students, academics and researchers of international environmental law, international human rights law, international investment law and international economic law. This book may also be of relevance to environmentalists, policy-makers, NGOs, and investors working in the natural resources field.

Examining the law, regulation and governance of natural resources, this timely work addresses the conflicts and contradictions arising at the intersection between international economic law, sustainable development and other areas of international law, most notably human rights law and environmental law. Bringing together a collection of legal and policy expertise from a range of academic and practitioner perspectives, this book will appeal to scholars of law, political science, international relations, political economy and development studies.

Research Handbook on International Law and Natural Resources provides a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the role of international law in regulating the exploration and exploitation of natural resources. It illuminates interactions and tensions between international environmental law, human rights law and international economic law. It also discusses the relevance of soft law, international dispute settlement, as well as of various unilateral, bilateral, regional and transnational initiatives in the governance of natural resources. While the Handbook is accessible to those approaching the subject for the first time, it identifies pressing areas for further investigation that will be of interest to advanced researchers.

This work aims to be the definitive exploration of the possibility to conceptualize permanent sovereignty over natural resources vested in indigenous peoples rather than in States under international law.

Der Band würdigt Stephan Hobe als herausragenden Experten in mannigfachen Bereichen des internationalen Rechts, etwa im Luftrecht, Weltraumrecht, Investitionsrecht und internationalem Wirtschaftsrecht. Alle Beiträge werfen den Blick auf eine gewaltige Menschheitsaufgabe: die immer knapper werdenden natürlichen Ressourcen. Sie stammen von langjährigen KollegInnen und FreundInnen und decken alle relevanten Aspekte des internationalen Rohstoffrechts ab. Mit Beiträgen von Prof. Dr. Marc Bungenberg, Prof. Dr. Manjiao Chi, Prof. Dr. Hans-Georg Dederer, Barry de Vries, Prof. Steven Freeland, Prof. Dr. Michael Lysander Fremuth, Prof. Dr. Jörn Griebel, Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Robert Heinsch, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Stephan Hobe, Prof. Dr. Charlotte Kreuter-Kirchhof, Prof. Dr. Heike Krieger, Prof. Dr. Thilo Marauhn, Prof. Dr. Irmgard Marboe, Prof. Dr. Bimal N. Patel, Jonas Püschmann, Prof. Dr. August Reinisch, Prof. Dr. Nico Schrijver, Prof. Dr. Christian J. Tams und Dr. Leopold von Carlowitz.

Natural resources and their effective management are necessary for securing the realisation of human rights. The management of natural resources is linked to broad issues of economic development, as well as to political stability, peace and security, but it is also intimately connected to the political, economic, social and cultural rights of individuals and communities relying on these resources. The management of natural resources often leads to ill-planned development, misappropriation of land, corruption, bad governance, misaligned budget priorities, lack of strong institutional reforms and weak policies coupled with a continued denial of the human rights of local communities. This book argues that human rights law can play an important role in ensuring a more effective and sustainable management of natural resources, putting forward the idea of a human rights-based normative framework for natural resource management. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the different norms, procedures, and approaches developed under human rights law that are relevant to the management of natural resources. Advocating for a less market and corporate approach to the control, ownership, and management of natural resources, this book supports the development of holistic and coherent integration of human rights law in the overall international legal framework governing the management of natural resources.