Legitimate concerns about the environment require extensive international regulation. The international dimension of this regulation is essential since just as wild animals do not stop at borders, neither does any kind of pollution. Indeed, the protection of the ozone layer should not be globally addressed by only one State, or by only a few of them.
This Lexicon, aimed at NGOs, lawyers, diplomats and students, follows the same method as the Lexicon of Human Rights - Les définitions des droits de l'homme, published by Martinus Nijhoff Publlishers in 2008. Definitions related to the environment are gathered by extracting them from relevant universal scope texts. This ordered grouping of definitions will enlighten the reader about the priorities of the international community regarding environmental law. Definitions are classified in alphabetical order, in separate English and French lists. In each language there is an alphabetical list of common terms with the equivalent second language term in square brackets. The list gives the exact detailed meaning followed by the source of each term. Following this list, a lexicon of the same terms is given under such general themes as "Mammals", "Gas", "Lead". Finally, a list of relevant documents which can be referenced for further information is included