The Path towards Sustainability: the Least Developed Countries and the Climate Regime

Abstract

This dissertation examines the Least Developed Countries' implementation, compliance, and adaptation under the climate regime. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate how the Least Developed Countries have been affected in their development process by climate norms and regulations. The first chapter starts with an analysis of the environment as an international public good. Common areas and resources do not solely fall under a single State’s jurisdiction. This feature makes these areas vulnerable and subject to overexploitation. The notion of common evolved into community interest over the years. Hence, wrong development policies would inevitably have impacts on the rest of the world. The dissertation, then, analyzes how common goods and sovereignty are intertwined, exposing the Westphalian dilemma. The second chapter shifts the attention to the Least Developed Countries. These countries all have in prevailing high poverty rates, dependence on international markets, and a high level of vulnerability. The third and final chapter analyzes on the dichotomy between development and the environment. Development remains the solution to eradicating all the problems that the LDCs are facing. The concept of development has inevitably changed since the establishment of international environmental law. States have now to consider several factors in their path towards development. In particular, the LDCs have to consider planet boundaries in their economic growth. Environmental boundaries, in the LDCs, have translated both in their objective vulnerabilities and in commitments to international environmental law.