Summary: 1. Introduction – Basic Principles of Environmental Rights Protection. – 2. Environmental Rights Protection and the ECtHR. – 3. Concluding Remarks
This note addresses some aspects of the basic principles of environmental rights protection and ECtHR practice. In particular, it analyses the new directions for environmental rights protection that the ECtHR gave us in Tătar v Romania. Some inconsistency of the ECtHR is highlighted since the case-law of environmental principles varies. Significant and important steps towards recognising the importance of procedural rights associated with public participation as this principle are indicated in international environmental law more generally. On the other hand, the Court’s more recent forays into the territory of other environmental principles – particularly that of the precautionary principle – suggests that the Court is less eager to develop its extensive environmental case-law considering the principle of precaution.