“Oceania”

This chapter examines the application of international environmental law in Oceania’s courts, spanning Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The region’s states have been strong supporters of international and regional environmental agreements, with court cases addressing issues like sustainable fisheries, world heritage protection, and increasingly, climate change. Despite this engagement, a key limitation is the incomplete incorporation of treaty obligations into domestic law, which hinders broader legal application. The chapter highlights both the region’s legal activism and the challenges in fully realizing international environmental commitments.