International Court of Justice - duty of environmental impact assessment - right to develop - duty to notify and consult - international standards - equitable and reasonable use of watercourses - duty to prevent pollution

On April 20, 2010, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced its judgment in a dispute between Argentina and Uruguay concerning Uruguay's authorization of industrial development on the banks of the Uruguay River, which forms the international boundary between the two countries. A bilateral mechanism established by the 1975 Statute of the River Uruguay (1975 Statute)--the Administrative Commission of the River Uruguay (CARU)--exists to provide joint management of the river, but it was unable to prevent or resolve this conflict. In May 2006, after months of unsuccessful negotiation with Uruguay, Argentina submitted its dispute to the ICJ, along with a request for provisional measures. The parties agreed that the ICJ had jurisdiction under Article 60 of the 1975 Statute. A detailed report on ICJ's judgment of the issue is presented.