International Responsibility for Environmental Damage: An Analytical Study within the Framework of Political Science and International Relations

Abstract

This study examines the issue of holding international actors accountable for environmental degradation from an analytical perspective that merges political science and international law. It proceeds from a fundamental hypothesis that the faltering of accountability mechanisms is not exclusively due to technical or legislative shortcomings, but rather reflects a profound lack of political will and an imbalance of power between the industrialized Global North and the developing Global South. The research employs analytical and historical methodologies to trace the evolution of concepts related to environmental obligations, demonstrating that current legal outputs are the product of complex diplomatic bargaining rather than merely normative responses. The study concludes that overcoming the current stalemate requires shifting toward approaches focused on collective risk management and activating environmental diplomacy as an alternative to traditional litigation frameworks.