The Role of Judges’ Mental Models in the International Court of Justice in Developing International Environmental Jurisprudence: A Case Study of the Gabcikovo–Nagymaros Project
Keywords:
International Court of Justice, Gabcikovo–Nagymaros, international environmental law, judges’ mental modelsAbstract
Recent developments in the field of international environmental law have further highlighted the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in interpreting and advancing environmental principles. One of the most prominent manifestations of this transformation can be seen in the Court’s judgment in the Gabcikovo–Nagymaros case. In this judgment, the judges went beyond a literal interpretation of treaty texts by relying on emerging principles such as sustainable development, good faith, and cooperation. This article focuses on the mental models of the judges and examines how their legal, interpretive, and philosophical backgrounds influenced judicial decision-making in this case. The findings reveal that the Court, by integrating traditional legal standards with emerging environmental imperatives, has gradually contributed to the development of international environmental norms. The use of purposive and systematic interpretation, reference to general principles of law, and attention to contemporary international considerations affirm the presence of a dynamic and influential mental model in the judges' decision-making process.
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Copyright (c) 1403 Saeed Samami, Soudeh Shamloo, Dariush Ashrafi (Author)
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