Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros Project Case: The Role of the International Court of Justice in Highlighting the Concept of Sustainable Development

This paper studies the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros project, the first case before the International Court of Justice dealing with the concept of sustainable development. In particular, this paper analyzes three related aspects of this principle addressed in the Court’s judgment: the concept of sustainable development; the principle of precautionary acts; and the principle of environmental impact. It has been concluded in this paper that both the opinion of the majority of judges and the view of the Vice-President of the Court, Judge Weeramantry, have contributed to the development of the international environmental law, but their impacts have not been comprehensive.