A campaign to make environmental destruction an international crime
International law operates in terms of reciprocal agreements and treaties between sovereign states. If a sovereign state agrees to be part of some international tribunal or treaty, it reserves the right to leave or to selectively comply. This is exactly what we see in practice. We do not consider this to be a crime because a state has the right to withdraw from a treaty. Compare this to the government of a state, which does not have the right to violate its own law.<p>This situation implies that there is no authority above and beyond the sovereign state on which true international law could be based. This is a good thing. True international law requires a world government which would be an unbearable restriction of freedom. Where could Edward Snowden run if there was a world government? How about Chinese and Russian dissidents, past and present, who have escaped to the West?<p>Attempts, however noble, to solve problems by enacting some international law will fail, just as they have in the past. For the foreseeable future, we&#x27;re stuck with the sovereign state. If the EU cares about the environment, it can pay developing countries not to clear forests. Or it could offer to install renewables for free. The only other option involves war and the idea of the EU invading Brazil is comical.