International environmental law covers many different environmental issues concerning the global environment including climate change, biodiversity and water. The emergence of international environmental law is an acknowledgement of the fact that reducing human impacts on the environment requires extensive international cooperation, as many of the problems affecting the environment are global in nature.
The application of international environmental law usually takes the form of legally-binding international agreements, treaties and protocols. An agreement only comes into force once is has been developed through extensive consultation and negotiation, signed (optional and only indicates an intention to ratify), ratified (final approval and adoption) and then finally implemented through the domestic law of each country. The degree of enforcement relies on the capacity and commitment of each country, especially when considering the limited authority of international courts and tribunals.