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B. Organizational Issues 



While the substcintive standards applicable to actions with an impact 

 on the global environment are difficult to state in any detail, there appears 

 to be a growing consensus among commentators that the primary obligations 

 of States in this area also encompass certain procedural duties. These 

 include prior notification of other States, adequate environmental assess- 

 ments including infoinnation sharing and jointly-conducted environmental 

 einalyses where possible, as well as good faith consultations with other 

 States toward the objective of achieving a solution to environmental con- 

 flicts which respects the equitable interests of all affected States, both 

 in their rights to enjoyment of a healthy environment and their exercise 

 of rights to use national and global resources with appropriate considera- 

 tion of the interests of other States. These procedural obligations suggest 

 the range of functions which international organizations could serve in 

 relation to development of sub-seabed disposal as a waste-disposal option. 

 Technical and institutional issues related to sub-seabed disposal could be 

 aired in international organizations in order to fulfill the duty to notify 

 other States of proposed activities and consult with them about the extent 

 of anticipated environmental effects and the effect of the proposed activity 

 on other beneficial activities. The international organizations could also 

 be involved in environmental assessment efforts. Optimally, such organi- 

 zations could also be brought to develop a set of substantive standards ' 

 as well as procedures for development and implementation of a sub-seabed 

 disposal proposal. Ultimately, a new organization could even be created 

 which would exercise a range of functions related to sub-seabed disposal. 



