Earth Summit: Environmental Law: World's Top Judges Pledge to Punish Polluters

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MORE THAN 120 chief justices, supreme court justices and other top judges from 60 countries pledged yesterday to crack down on breaches of environmental laws that, until now, have been only patchily enforced across the world.

The first worldwide meeting of top judges, which convened last week, concluded they had to be guardians of the global environment, and promised "to boldly and fearlessly implement and enforce" the laws.

Some of them believe that the decision will be the first step towards the creation of an international court of environmental rights.

The meeting was chaired by Justice Arthur Chaskalson, South Africa's Chief Justice, and also …