2012 Articles

Legal and Sustainable Development Impacts of Major Oil Spills

Olawuyi, Damilola S.

Oil spills trigger the application of several interrelated national, regional, and international laws and regulations that provide windows of redress for victims. This paper provides a summary of the legal and sustainable development principles at play where oil spills occur. It provides a simplified synopsis of the relevant principles of international environmental law through which victims of oil spillage can seek compensation. It also highlights the absence of a comprehensive convention on safety standards for oil platforms in international laws applicable to oil spillage.