Public Trusteeship for the Oceans
Article from: OGEL 4 (2006), in International Law & Regulations / Law of the Sea
Introduction
The revival of the 'public trust' for natural resource management has been among the most successful innovations in US environmental law over the past 30 years.[1] It also found its way into several other legal systems; e.g., a landmark environmental decision of the Indian Supreme Court in 1996 declared the public trust doctrine "part of the law of the land".[2] Yet, even though the historical origins of the public trust - i.e., legal title in tidal lands and coastal waters - place it at the very interface of national and international areas of jurisdiction, there has been ...