The discourse on 'protection of the atmosphere' in the International Law Commission

At its 65th session in August 2013, the United Nations International Law Commission included the topic 'protection of the atmosphere' in its programme of work, and has since begun to draft a set of legal guidelines, on the basis of four reports prepared by its Special Rapporteur on the subject, albeit under a severely restricted mandate. This article comments on the work so initiated, in light of the deliberations in the Commission and the draft guidelines provisionally adopted.