Global Assessment and Review: The Importance of a Transparency Turn in International Environmental Law

Abstract

Transparency mechanisms have been recognized as a valuable tool for enhancing the effectiveness of international environmental law and global environmental governance. These mechanisms are, however, under pressure from a range of processes and impacts. Challenges including data availability and lack of comprehensive data collection, unstandardized reporting formats, unsystematic monitoring processes, and fragmentation in international environmental law have triggered a non-transparent culture. In times of a “New Earth”, international environmental law needs to keep pace with continuing global changes. New approaches are thus required to deliver a transparency turn in international environmental law. The concept of the Anthropocene has the potential to support efforts towards a more transparent and integrated approach to international environmental law. This includes inter-disciplinary responses to the human-environment interfaces, as well as information exchanges and innovative visions. This paper highlights the importance of transparency tools in international environmental law, identifies the current challenges, and explores possible opportunities created by the Anthropocene epoch to overcome transparency challenges and enhance international environmental law.