International Protection of Nature Reserves

Abstract

The establishment of protected natural areas is not a new concept; it has existed since ancient times with the aim of preserving biodiversity, including rare and endangered plant and animal species. Accordingly, countries have enacted legislation to protect and maintain these natural reserves from encroachment and violations, due to the unique living organisms they contain. The issue of protected areas has also been a part of international efforts through environmental agreements and conferences that have addressed how to preserve them and the international standards necessary for their establishment and management.However, these mechanisms remain weak and are still in the development stage. International law still lacks effective deterrent sanctions. Despite the absence of a comprehensive international framework agreement for the protection of natural reserves and the regulation of their various legal aspects, some guiding documents have been developed that contain detailed provisions on this matter. Nonetheless, these documents are non-binding on states and are considered part of what is known as “soft international law.”