5. Conclusion

International environmental law has expanded considerably in recent years. When states violate their international obligations and cause damage to the environment, they incur international liability and are obliged to repair the damage caused. However, in the event of a dispute on this issue, it is difficult to find a competent court due to the obstacle posed by the principle of consent to international jurisdiction. For this reason, non-contentious procedures have been developed under several international conventions that are more suited to the field of the environment and generally function very effectively.

In certain areas, states have also established civil liability regimes that transfer responsibility to operators. Finally, national courts are the ordinary courts responsible for enforcing international law. Although French courts currently play only a limited...