International law has long been dominated by the State. But it has become apparent that this bias is unrealistic and untenable in the contemporary world as the rise of the notion of common goods challenges this dominance. These common goods - typically values (like human rights, rule of law, etc) or common domains (the environment, cultural heritage, space, etc) - speak to an emergent international community beyond the society of States and the attendant rights and obligations of non-State actors.This book details how three key areas of international law - human rights, culture and the environment - are pushing the boundaries in this field. Each category is of current and ongoing significance in legal and public discourse, as illustrated by the Syrian conflict (human rights and international humanitarian law), the destruction of mausoleums and manuscripts in Mali (cultural heritage), and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (the environment). Each exemplifies the need to move beyond a State-focused idea of international law.This timely volume explores how the idea of common goods, in which rights and obligations extend to individuals, groups and the international community, offers one such avenue and reflects on its transformative impact on international law.

A timely, fascinating and unique study for those interested in public international law, environmental law and human rights.

Part I - Human Rights1. The ICJ and Common Goods: The Case of Human Rights - Bruno Simma2. The Progressive Development of Peoples' Rights in the African Charter and in the Case Law of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights - Abdulqawi A Yusuf3. From Jus in Bello to Jus Commune Humanitatis. The Interface of Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law in the Regulation of Armed Conflicts - Federico Lenzerini4. Human Rights and the Modernization of International Law - Riccardo Pisillo Mazzeschi5. Reparation for Damage Suffered as a Consequence of Breaches of the Law of War - Natalino Ronzitti6. Why Justice and Human Rights Require Cosmopolitan International Economic Law - Ernst-Ulrich PetersmannPart II - Cultural Heritage1. Human Rights and Cultural Heritage in International Law - Ana Filipa Vrdoljak2. The Cultural Dimension of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - Siegfried Wiessner3. Heritage for Whom? Individuals' and Communities' Roles in International Cultural Heritage Law - Lucas Lixinski4. Underwater Cultural Heritage as an International Common Good - Tullio Scovazzi5. Public Goods, Foreign Investments and the International Protection of Cultural Heritage - Valentina Vadi6. New Rules and Procedures for the Prevention and Settlementof Cultural Heritage Disputes: A Critical Appraisal of Problems and Prospects - Alessandro ChechiPart III - The Environment1. Revising International Environmental Law through the Paradigm of Ecological Sustainability - Massimiliano Montini2. Land Degradation as a Common Concern of Humankind - Ben Boer3. Protecting the Environment of Polar Regions - Patrizia Vigni4. Public Interest Environmental Litigation and the European Court of Human Rights: No Love at First Sight - Riccardo Pavoni5. Children's Rights Challenged by Climate Change: Is a Reconceptualization Required? - Christine Bakker6. A Human Rights-Based Approach to Climate Change? Insights from the Regulation of Intangible Cultural Heritage - Ottavio Quirico7. Public and Private in the International Law of Environmental Liability - Emanuela Orlando8. Protecting Environmental Rights through the Bilateral Agreements of the European Union: Mapping the Field - Elisa Morgera