The Judicial Protection of the Enivornment in International and European Law

Foreword to the special issue originated from the 19th Conference of Young Scholars of International Legal Studies (Incontro di studio tra giovani cultori delle materie internazionalistiche), held at Luiss University in Rome on 2 December 2022. Marking the 50th anniversary of the Stockholm Declaration, the Conference aimed to shed new light on the role of judicial bodies – both international and domestic – in the application and development of international and European Union (EU) environmental law. The idea was to explore how courts contribute to the interpretation and enforcement of international, regional and national legal frameworks dedicated to environmental protection; whether and to what extent they create new principles and norms regulating environmental matters; how they balance environmental protection with other competing interests, such as human rights, international trade, investment protection, or national security concerns; and ultimately, whether the judicial mecha- nisms of environmental protection currently laid down in international and European law are fit for purpose.