Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

A Comparative Study of the Role of the Constitutional Guardian in France and Colombia in the Development of Constitutionalisation of Environmental Law

Articles in Press

Document Type : scientific research paper

Authors
Omid Niaghi, 1
Javad Taghizadeh 2
Masoud Faryadi 2
1 Ph.D. Student in Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
10.22034/law.2025.2057159.1634
Abstract
Following the growing attention of the international community to environmental issue in the 1970s and its inclusion in the constitution, the practical realization of the environmental capacities of constitutions and realize the Constitutionalisation of the environmental law became a fundamental issue. Since the main custodians of ensuring the implementation of the constitution are the constitutional guardians, the role of these institutions and their performance in the development of the Constitutionalisation of the environmental law became of great importance. Because, the way these institutions operate can largely reflect the extent to which a legal system has the necessary capacities for the Constitutionalisation of the environmental law. This research adopts a descriptive-analytical and legal approach to examine the role of constitutional guardians in France and Colombia in realizing the environmental capacities constitutions, and in developing the Constitutionalisation of the environmental law in these two countries. this research indicate that despite both countries having acceptable environmental capacities in their constitutions, the constitutional guardian's performance in these two countries has led to a greater integration of environmental considerations into the legal system of Colombia compared to that of France. This is also largely due to the traditional approach taken by the Constitutional Council of France in contrast to the modern approach adopted by the Constitutional Court of Colombia. the French Constitutional Council considers its mission to be solely to control the compliance of laws and regulations with the environmental provisions contained in the Charter for the environment and has always tried to play a controlling role in order to Constitutionalisation of the environmental law in the French legal system. In contrast, the Colombian Constitutional Court has always tried to play a facilitating and developmental role in the process of Constitutionalisation of the environmental law in the Colombian legal system, while maintaining a controlling role.
Keywords
Constitutional Council
Constitutional Court
Constitutionalisation of the Environmental law
Negative Legislator

Subjects

  1. A) Books
  2. Macpherson, E. (2019). indigenous Water Rights in Law and Regulation: Lessons from Comparative Experience. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  3. Mashhadi, Ali (2018). Fundamental Rights of the Environment. Tehran: Shahradanesh Legal Research Publications. [In Persian]
  4. Maya-Aguirre, Ana Lucía. Implementing Environmental Constitutionalism in Colombia. 143-158 in Daly, Erin and James R. May (2018). Implementing Environmental Constitutionalism: Current Global Challenges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  5. Rodríguez, Gloria Amparo (2022). Fundamentos del derecho ambiental colombiano. Bogotá: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Fescol).
  6. Sohnle, Jochen H.. Judicial Implementation of Environmental Constitutionalism in France. 159-179 in Daly, Erin and James R. May (2018). Implementing Environmental Constitutionalism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

B)Articles

  1. Bagni, S. (2022). The rights of nature in Colombian and Indian case-law (A. Ariza, trad.). Revista Análisis Jurídico-Político. 4(7). 99-124.
  2. Bavikatte, K. & T. Bennett (2015). ‘Community Stewardship: The Foundation of Biocultural Rights’. Journal of Human Rights and Environment. 6(1). 7–29.
  3. Brown, Nathan J. and Julian G. Waller (2016). Constitutional courts and political uncertainty: Constitutional ruptures and the rule of judges. International Journal of Constitutional Law. 14(4). 817–850.
  4. Coombe, Rosemary J. and David J Jefferson (2021). Posthuman rights struggles and environmentalisms from below in the political ontologies of Ecuador and Colombia. Journal of Human Rights and the Environment. 12(2). 177–204.
  5. Gómez-Betancur, Luisa, Vilardy Q., Sandra P. and David Torres R. (2022). Ecosystem Services as a Promising Paradigm to Protect Environmental Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America: the Constitutional Court Landmark Decision to Protect Arroyo Bruno in Colombia. Environmental Management. 69(4). 768–780.
  6. Gómez – Velásquez, Alejandro (2016). The “constitutionalization” process of the international environmental law in Colombia. Revista de Derecho. No.45. 1-31.
  7. Gorji Azandaryani, Ali-Akbar (2009). Normative proliferation and diversity in French constitutional law (sources for monitoring parliamentary approvals).
  8. Macpherson, Elizabeth, Ventura, Julia Torres and Felipe Clavijo Ospina (2020). Constitutional Law, Ecosystems, and Indigenous Peoples in Colombia: Biocultural Rights and Legal Subjects. Transnational Environmental Law. 9(3). 521–540.
  9. Marrani, David (2008). The Second Anniversary of the Constitutionalisation of the French Charter for the Environment Constitutional and Environmental Implications. Environmental Law Review.10(1).19-27.
  10. Mashhadi, A. (2009). Recent developments in the right to the environment in French constitutional law.

 

 

 

 

  1. Nyekwere, Empire Hechime et al. (2023). Constitutional and Judicial Interpretation of Environmental Laws in Nigeria, India and Canada. Lex Scientia Law Review. 7(2). 905-958.
  2. Rafeei, M. R. and saadati Cheshmeghan, A. H. (2024). Tools of Interpretation in Certain Binding Precedent Decisions Rendered by the Supreme Court, in the Light of Teachings of the American Legal System. Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law, 7(22), 100-130. doi: 10.22034/law.2024.2019933.1286. [In Persian]
  3.  
  4. Scheppele, Kim Lane (2006). Guardian of the Constitution: Constitutional Court Presidents and the Struggle for the Rule of Law in Post-Soviet Europe. University of Pennsylvania Law Review. 154(6). 1757-1851.

19.Singh, Sukhwinder (2019). Sentry Approach of Judiciary for the Protection of Environmental Pollution in India: a Bird's Eye View. Dehradun Law Review.11(1). 13-21.

  1. Vargas-Chaves, Iván, Rodríguez, Gloria Amparo, Cumbe-Figueroa, Alexandra and Sandra-Estefanía Mora-Garzón (2020). Recognizing the Rights of Nature in Colombia: the Atrato River case. Revista Jurídicas. 17 (1). 13-41.
  2. Weis, Lael K. (2018). Environmental Constitutionalism: Aspiration or Transformation?. International Journal of Constitutional Law.16(3). 836–870.
  3. Wesche, Philipp (2021). Rights of Nature in Practice: A Case Study on the Impacts of the Colombian Atrato River Decision. Journal of Environmental Law. 33(3). 531–556.
  4. C) Documents

1.Colombia's Constitution of 1991 with Amendments through 2015.

  1. France's constitution of 1958 with Amendments through 2008.
  2. Loi constitutionnelle n° 2005-205 du 1er mars 2005 relative à la Charte de l'environnement (JORF n°0051 du 2 mars 2005).
  3. E) Cases

1.Constitutional Council of France (1990). Resolution supplementing Rule 86 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, Decision 90-276 DC - 05 July 1990.

2.Constitutional Council of France (2000). Law relating to urban solidarity and renewal, Decision 2000-436 DC - December 7, 2000.

3.Constitutional Council of France (2001). Finance Act for 2002, Decision 2001-456 DC - December 27, 2001.

4.Constitutional Council of France (2002). Finance Act for 2003, Decision 2002-464 DC - December 27, 2002.

5.Constitutional Council of France (2003). Amending Finance Act for 2003, Decision 2003-488 DC - December 29, 2003.

6.Constitutional Council of France (2005a). Decision of March 24, 2005 on requests submitted by Mr. Stéphane Hauchemaille and by Mr. Alain Meyet, Decision No. 2005-31 REF of March 24, 2005.

7.Constitutional Council of France (2005b). Law relating to the creation of the French international register, Decision No. 2005-514 DC of April 28, 2005.

8.Constitutional Council of France (2005c). Program law setting out the guidelines for energy policy, Decision No. 2005-516 DC of July 7, 2005.

  1. Constitutional Council of France (2005d). Airports Act, Decision No. 2005-513 DC of April 14, 2005.

10.Constitutional Council of France (2005e). Finance Act for 2006, Decision No. 2005-530 DC of December 29, 2005.

11.Constitutional Council of France (2006). Act pertaining to the energy sector, Decision no. 2006-543 DC of 30 November 2006.

12.Constitutional Council of France (2007). Law relating to the town planning rules applicable within the perimeter of the La Défense national interest operation and establishing a public establishment for the management of the La Défense business district, Decision No. 2007-548 DC of February 22, 2007.

13.Constitutional Council of France (2011a). Mr Michel Z. and another [Neighborhood nuisance and environment], Decision no. 2011-116 QPC of 8 April 2011.

14.Constitutional Council of France (2011b). Mr Pierre T. [Administrative right of way and development for the purpose of fire prevention], Decision no. 2011-182 QPC of 14 October 2011.

15.Constitutional Council of France (2011c). Mrs Ekaterina B., spouse of D., and others [Defence secrets], Decision no. 2011-192 QPC of 10 November 2011.

16.Constitutional Council of France (2012a). Association France Nature Environnement [Draft rules and technical requirements applicable to classified environmental protection installations subject to a requirement for authorisation], Decision no. 2012-262 QPC of 13 July 2012.

17.Constitutional Council of France (2012b). Mr. Antoine de M. [Classification and declassification of sites], Decision No. 2012-283 QPC of November 23, 2012.

18.Constitutional Council of France (2013). Schuepbach Energy LLC [Prohibition of hydraulic fracking in relation to the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons - revocation of licences to prospect], Decision no. 2013-346 QPC of 11 October 2013.

19.Constitutional Council of France (2014). Mr Ahmed S. [Revocation of citizenship], Decision no. 2014-439 QPC of 23 January 2015.

20.Constitutional Council of France (2022). France Nature Environnement Association and others [Exemption for certain water mills from obligations aimed at ensuring the ecological continuity of watercourses], Decision No. 2022-991 QPC of May 13, 2022.

  1. Constitutional Court of Colombia (2003). Law 734 of 2002, C-067/03.
  2. Constitutional Court of Colombia (2008). Law 1021 of 2006. C-030/08.

23.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2011). José Rómulo Bastos Rugeles v. ICA, C-623/2011.

24.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2012). The Comfenalco Beach Fishermen's Association (Asopescomfe) v. the Cartagena Special Tourist District, the Vía al Mar Consortium, the National Concessions Institute INCO, the General Maritime Directorate (DIMAR) and the then Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development (currently, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADS)), T-348/ 2012.

25.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2014). Marcos Gregorio Villera, Silvio Castaño Hoyos, Hermes Rafael Urzola de la Barrera, Yenis González Pacheco, Antonio Martínez Mestra, José de la Vega Argumedo, Francisco Marzola Hoyos and Julio César Trujillo Silvera v. the Regional Autonomous Corporation of the Sinú and San Jorge Valleys CVS, Public Services Company CORASEO, Ministry of the Interior, Directorate of Prior Consultation and Directorate of Indigenous, ROM and Minority Affairs., T-294/ 2014.

26.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2015). Statutory Bill 134 of 2011 Chamber and 227 of 2012 SENATE, C-150/ 2015.

27.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2016a). Center of Studies for Social Justice “Tierra Digna v. The President; The Ministry of the Interior; and others, T-622/16.

28.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2016b). Law 685 of 2001, C-389/16.

29.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2016c). Law 1450 of 2011, Law 1753 of 2015, C-035/2016.

30.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2016d). Law 1753 of 2015, C-298/2016.

31.Constitutional Court of Colombia (2016e). Liliana Mónica Flores Arcila v. the Administrative Court of Quindío, T-445/2016.

  1. Constitutional Court of Colombia (2018). Law 1844 of 2017, C-048/18.

33.Supreme Court of Colombia (2016). Juan Luis Castro Córdoba and Diego Hernán David Ochoa v. Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, EPM, Hydroelectric Ituango S.A. E.S.P. and others, 05001 31 03 004 2019 00071 01.

  1. D) Reports
  2. Uribe Botero, Eduardo (2005). The Evolution of Colombian Environmental Institutions: 1971– 2004. University of the Andes. The Faculty of Economics. The Center for Studies on Economic Development (CEDE). Available in: http://hdl.handle.net/1992/7907. 1-91.
Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 June 2025