The Planet´s ‘Functional Aspect’ and the 1992 Rio Convention: Climate as Nobody's Stuff, or as Common Heritage?

Authors

  • Paulo Magalhães Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Justiça

Keywords:

climate common heritage, functional aspect, global common goods, climate change

Abstract

International Law has always been unable to distinguish the functional-aspect of the Earth System from the static nature of sovereignty. This distinction, considered necessary by the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC), allows a legal approach to climate (planet-software) as an intangible legal object, abandoning the current status of res nullius – atmosphere/oceans as humanity's garbage dump. Rio 1992 defined the Climate System, and today it is possible to define its legal status as res communis to avoid the tragedy of commons.

Author Biography

Paulo Magalhães, Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Justiça

Investigador principal do Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Justiça (CIJ) da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade do Porto e diretor executivo da Casa Comum da Humanidade.

Published

2024-08-20

How to Cite

Magalhães, P. (2024). The Planet´s ‘Functional Aspect’ and the 1992 Rio Convention: Climate as Nobody’s Stuff, or as Common Heritage?. CEBRI-Revista: Brazilian Journal of International Affairs, (10), 235–256. Retrieved from https://cebri-revista.emnuvens.com.br/revista/article/view/182