Book excerpt: . . . Highly recommended as a key contribution to the literature. It fulfils its title in being contemporaneous, but more than that it also provides a subtle critique of how many international environmental lawyers have approached their subject. . . this book will be an essential read for anyone interested in the subject. British Yearbook of International Law This book presents an interesting, scholarly read. . . an invaluable reference asset, to law students, researchers, policy makers and non-state actors with interest in environmental regulation and governance. Priscilla Schwartz, Journal of Environmental Law This is a thoughtful and well-researched study of current issues in international environmental law. Malgosia Fitzmaurice s collection of essays is a welcome addition to the literature in this rapidly developing area of the law: it provides perspective on the environmental law issues discussed, but always against the background of the broader concepts and principles of general international law. James Crawford, University of Cambridge, UK The central aim of this insightful book is to illuminate how many concepts in international environmental law such as the precautionary principle and sustainable development are taken for granted. These problematic issues are very much still evolving and subject to heated debate between scholars as well as between states. The author explores these controversies viewing them as a positive development within a field that is in a constant state of flux. Areas discussed include the convergence of human rights with environmental issues and the quest for the human right to a clean environment. The book also clearly demonstrates that international environmental law cannot be analysed in isolation since it greatly influences the development of general international law. Taking full account of the most recent decisions of international courts and tribunals as well as the most up-to-date scholarly analysis, Contemporary Issues in International Environmental Law is a timely and important resource for legal scholars, under- and post-graduates and practitioners alike.