text: persons or property it was difficult, in the current stage of scientific development, to measure with a sufficient degree of precision what identifiable harm to the "global comnons" would result in ideatifiable harm to human beinys or property. Even though, he explained, an overall correlation can be made between harm to the "global commons" , the environment in general and the well-being and quality of life of human beings, it did net seem to be enough tv establish the causal link necessary under the liability topic as presently formulated. That would require, perhaps, a different definition of harm ar!d ;I different threshold of harm. There seemed to be only one - 283 -.aoavention so far whiah had gone clone to impoeing liability for harm to the environment u and that was the Convention on the Regulation of Antaratio Mineral Reeouroee Aativities. He admitted that the absence of State practise, wae indicative of the fact that the problem wae recent. 528. The Speoial Rapporteur noted that if harm to the t’global commonstt was to be measured on the stun8 basis as currently understood in the liability topic, the consequsnaes aould be undesirable. The topic measured harm in relation to its sigaifiosnt harm to human beings or property, Siguifiosnt harm to the environment of the global commons might not lead to immediate signifiaant harm to human beings1 in order to affect human beings, harm to the global commons might have to reach a point of no return, given the enormous magnitude of the spsoes involved. It 6e8mQd to th8 Special Rapporteur that currently in general international law there was no liability for that harm to the environment of the global aommone which did not affect persons or property. He believed, however, that such a situation should not be allowed to continue,
analysis: The text appears to be discussing the legal and scientific challenges of measuring harm to the environment, specifically the "global commons", and the need for a different approach to liability in international law. It seems to be more focused on the environmental aspect rather than economic or industrial development.