This article addresses the normative potential of the principle of sustainability to integrate the rules, principles, and procedures of international law applicable in the Arctic, so that Arctic international law can be posited more holistically and systematically. The holistic and integrative approach towards international law is particularly called for in the context of the Arctic, as the inextricable interconnectedness between its changing natural environments, its societal particularities, and its economic and industrial potential is the fundamental characteristic of the Arctic. In line with the purpose of the special issue, this article takes up a harder case of sustainability, in addressing Arctic mineral resource development. This article posits the principle of sustainability as a principle with an integrative function operating behind the primary norms relating to resource development at the international law level. In response to the claim of fragmented nature of the law at issue, this article calls for an academic examination into the normative function of the sustainability principle to forge the relevant and evolving norms applicable in the specific context of the Arctic mineral resource development towards an integral, coherent whole. This aim will be pursued using the analytical methodology employed by the International Law Commission’s (ILC) work on the “fragmentation of international law” (2006) and the “principle of integration” as identified by the International Law Association’s (ILA) work on the international law relating to sustainable development (2002–12). Finally, as an initial attempt to articulate the legal reasoning for such integration, this article examines the legal institution of environmental impact assessment (EIA) as a tool to present a holistic view of the international law on Arctic mineral resource development.

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作为综合原则的可持续性：国际法在北极资源开发中的作用

本文探讨了可持续性原则在整合北极适用的国际法规则、原则和程序方面的规范潜力，从而可以更加全面和系统地设定北极国际法。在北极的背景下，特别需要对国际法采取整体和综合的方法，因为其不断变化的自然环境、其社会特殊性及其经济和工业潜力之间不可分割的相互联系是北极的基本特征。根据特刊的目的，本文采用了一个更难的可持续发展案例，以解决北极矿产资源的开发问题。本文将可持续性原则假定为在国际法层面上与资源开发有关的主要规范背后具有综合功能的原则。针对相关法律具有碎片化性质的主张，本文呼吁对可持续性原则的规范功能进行学术审查，以形成适用于北极矿产资源开发特定背景的相关和不断发展的规范，以实现整体，连贯整体。将使用国际法委员会（ILC）关于“国际法的碎片化”（2006 年）的工作所采用的分析方法和国际法协会（ILA）关于有关可持续发展的国际法（2002-12 年）。最后，作为阐明这种整合的法律推理的初步尝试，本文将环境影响评估（EIA）的法律制度作为一种工具来呈现关于北极矿产资源开发的国际法的整体观点。