The International Law of State Responsibility: Revolution or Evolution?

After briefly summarizing the classical doctrine of state responsibility, Part One will discuss whether extending compensation to the harmful consequences of certain hazardous activities necessarily involves the recognition of a “liability for lawful conduct” without any link to traditional ideas of state responsibility. Part Two, starting again from responsibility for wrongful acts, will discuss whether raising a new category, the breach of an “essential obligation” or “international crimes,” confers not only an obligation to make reparations, but a right, in both the victim state and the non-victim states, to sanction the responsible state.