This book considers, and offers solutions to, the problems faced by local communities and the environment with respect to global mining. The author explores the idea of grievance mechanisms in the home states of the major mining conglomerates. These grievance mechanisms should be functional, pragmatic and effective at resolving disputes between mining enterprises and impacted communities. The key to this provocative solution is twofold: the proposal harnesses the power of industry-sponsored dispute mechanisms to reduce the costs and other burdens on home state governments and judicial systems. Critically, civil society actors will be given a role as both advocates and mediators in order to achieve a fair result for those impacted abroad by extractive enterprises. Compelling, engaging and timely, this book presents an innovative approach for regulating the foreign conduct of the extractive sector.

This timely collection of essays examines the legal and regulatory dynamics of energy transitions in the context of emerging trends towards decarbonisation and low-carbon energy solutions. The book explores this topic by considering the applicable energy law and policy frameworks in both: (i) highly industrialised and major economies such as the US, EU, China and Australia; (ii) resource-rich developing countries such as Nigeria and regions like Southern Africa. Comprising 16 chapters, the book delves into the tradeoffs and regulatory complexities of carbon-constraints in conventional energy supply systems, while maintaining a reliable and secure energy system that is equally sustainable (ie decarbonised). It highlights the importance of ensuring affordable access to energy services in developing economies as the energy transitions unfold and explores the potentials of emerging technologies such as hydrogen networks, power-to-gas and Carbon Capture and Storage. Additionally, the book also considers the international investment law implications of energy decarbonisation. Focusing on the nexus between law, regulation and institutions, it adopts a contextual approach to examine how and to what extent institutions can effectively facilitate more reliable, sustainable and secure energy supply systems in the twenty-first century. This book portrays the conventional hydrocarbon-based energy supply industry in a largely international and interconnected context. It highlights the costs, benefits and losses that may arise as the transition towards decarbonisation unfolds depending on the pathways and solutions adopted. With chapters written by leading experts in energy law and policy, the reader-friendly style and engaging discussions will benefit an international audience of policymakers, academics, students and advisers looking for a more incisive understanding of the issues involved in energy transitions and the decarbonisation of energy systems.

This work analyses fairness and equity dimensions of the climate regime. A central issue in international law and policy is how countries of the world should allocate the burden of addressing global climate change. With the link between human activities and climate change clearly established, and the first impacts of climate change being felt, there is a renewed sense of urgency in addressing the problem. Based on an overview of science and the development of the climate regime to date, this book seeks to identify the elements of a working consensus on fairness principles that could be used to solve the hitherto intractable problem of assigning responsibility for combating climate change. The book demonstrates how an analysis of fairness dimensions of climate change grounded in practical developments and illustrated with reference to the latest developments can add value to our understanding of current developments and future options for international climate law and policy."

The book rethinks the means of harmonization of prima facie norm conflicts in light of the multitude of international agreements across regimes. The methodology deployed in this book, which is referred to as complementation or complementary application, represents a novel approach by focusing on commonly shared objectives and a unifying ordre public transnational across fields of public international law that allow for a harmonization beyond traditional treaty interpretation. Fields of public international law, mainly the laws of armed conflict, international environmental law, and human rights law, apply simultaneously to questions regarding the environment and war. Such a coexistence challenges the unity of the international legal order, and it also challenges the means of harmonization across fields of public international law. However, eventually, the co-existence of several fields of public international law can result in a refinement of international law and enhanced legal protection. Diversification can also contribute to clarification or normative intensification in areas of parallel application of various fields and multilayered legal protection, demonstrating a counter-option to fragmentation.

This work investigates law as an instrument to deal with the challenges of sea level rise. As the two countries chosen as examples differ significantly in their adaptation strategies and the corresponding legal regulations, the author presents general ideas on how any legal framework facing similar challenges could be improved. In particular, (flood) risk assessments, coastal defences and flood-resistant design as well as spatial and land use planning are discussed, including managed retreat. Moreover, conflicts as well as potential synergies of coastal adaptation and nature conservation are examined.Due to the thorough analysis this book is not just an essential read for policymakers and researchers interested in the coastal area but climate change adaptation in general as many general findings are transferrable to other impacts.

Acts perpetrated during the course of warfare have, through the ages, led to significant environmental destruction. These have included situations where the natural environment has intentionally been targeted as a 'victim', or has somehow been manipulated to serve as a 'weapon' of warfare. Until recently, such acts were generally regarded as an unfortunate but unavoidable element of armed conflict, despite their potentially disastrous impacts. The existing international rules have largely been ineffective and inappropriate, and have in practical terms done little to deter deliberate environmental destruction, particularly when measured against perceived military advantages. However, as the significance of the environment has come to be more widely understood and recognised, this is no longer acceptable, particularly given the ongoing development of weapons capable of widespread and significant damage. This book therefore examines the current international legal regime relevant to the intentional destruction of the environment during warfare, and argues that such acts should, in appropriate circumstances, be recognised as an international crime and should be subject to more effective rules giving rise to international criminal responsibility. It also suggests a framework within the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as to how this might be achieved.

This contemporary textbook and manual for aspiring or new environmental managers provides the theory and practical examples needed to understand current environmental issues and trends. Each chapter explains the specific skills and concepts needed for today's successful environmental manager, and provides skill development exercises that allow students to relate theory to practice in the profession. Readers will obtain an understanding not only of the field, but also of how professional accountability, evolving science, social equity, and politics affect their work. This foundational textbook provides the scaffolds to allow students to understand the environmental regulatory infrastructure, and how to create partnerships to solve environmental problems ethically and implement successful environmental programs.

Containing an in-depth study of the emerging theory and core concepts of ecological law, this book insightfully proposes a 'lens of ecological law' through which the disparity between current laws and ecological law can be assessed. The lens consists of three principles: ecocentrism, ecological primacy and ecological justice. These principles are used within the book to explore and analyse the challenges and opportunities related to the transition to ecological law and to examine three key mining case studies. This thought-provoking book argues that ecological law should develop a needs-based approach to mining coupled with an ecological integrity standard in support of the effort to build a convivial and ecologically just society. This book's innovative approach treats ecological law as an emerging discipline by summarizing and discussing key aspects of its theory, including its foundations in science and critiques of economic growth; the core ideas from its foundational scholars; how to define it; and how it relates to Indigenous legal traditions and green legal theory. The Lens of Ecological Law will appeal to scholars and students in the fields of environmental and ecological law, sustainability and natural resources, whilst also being of interest to readers concerned with extractivism.

Though recently improved, Chinese legislation on environmental permits is still weak and urgent measures are needed to help the country in moving towards an effective permitting system. This book examines this legislation gap and presents a contribution to solving China's pollution problems. By analysing the deficiencies of current Chinese provisions on permitting in light of EU legislation, and its Italian application, the book determines which permitting legislative structure and approach China should embrace in practice in order to build more comprehensive legislation on emission permitting. It is argued that a set of ad hoc legislative measures should be implemented so as to strengthen China's environmental protection and efficiently tackle pollution. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers, academics and policy-makers working in the areas of international environmental law and comparative law.

This book focuses on how public and private international law address civil liability for transboundary pollution. In public international law, civil liability treaties promote the implementation of minimum procedural standards in domestic tort law. This approach implicitly relies on private international law to facilitate civil litigation against transboundary polluters. Yet this connection remains poorly understood. Filling the gap, this book engages in a meaningful dialogue between the two areas and explores how domestic private international law can reflect the policies developed in international environmental law. It begins with an investigation of civil liability in international environmental law. It then identifies preferable rules of civil jurisdiction, foreign judgments and choice of law for environmental damage, using Canadian private international law as a case study and making extensive references to European law. Liability for transboundary pollution is a contentious issue of the law, both in scholarship and practice: international lawyers both private and public as well as environmental lawyers will welcome this important work.

This timely book considers appropriate legal practices to use to promote conservation, protection and sustainable use of biological diversity in forest and marine areas. The breadth of issues explored across these two themes is immense, and the book identifies both key differences, and striking commonalities between them. Law-makers, managers and users often have little understanding of either the complexity or the true value of biological diversity and of what is needed to preserve forest and marine ecosystems, and to keep inter-relationships between species within them healthy. Regulators face significant and practical challenges, requiring the adoption of legal frameworks in the context of scientific uncertainty. This book provides critical and comparative reflections on the role of law in both of these biodiversity contexts. Key issues not previously addressed through the law are considered - for example, the lack of international governance of peat; and the moral problem of labelling certain species as 'alien' or 'invasive'. Learned contributors draw valuable lessons for those seeking to protect biodiversity and understand its governance, from analysis of experiences gained forging international and national legal frameworks. With a blend of local and global perspectives, across a wide range of countries and policies, the book will appeal to academics and students in law, international, regional and domestic policymakers, lawmakers, NGOs and conservation agencies. Contributors include: E. Couzens, T. Daya-Winterbottom, C. de Oliveira, M. Fajardo Cavalcanti de Albuquerque, Y. Fristikawati, L. Heng Lye, B. Liu, S. Maljean-Dubois, G. Morgan, A. Paterson, Y. Pei, A. Prasad Pant, V.S. Radovich, S. Riley, N.A. Robinson, A. Telesetsky, S.C.-W. Yang

This book explores a range of plausible futures for environmental law in the new era of the Earth's history: the Anthropocene. The book discusses multiple contemporary and future challenges facing the planet and humanity. It examines the relationship between environmental law and the Anthropocene at governance scales from the global to the local. The breadth of issues and jurisdictions covered by the book, its forward-looking nature, and the unique generational perspective of the contributing authors means that this publication appeals to a wide audience from specialist academics and policy-makers to a broader lay readership.

While civil society and social movements claim for more effective measures to cope with anthropogenic climate change, legal scholars are witnessing the "aurora" of climate change law. What is quite relevant in this double-process of recognition/establishment is the interdisciplinary nature of such a field of studies, which goes beyond formalistic legal aspects. Based on the need to rethink legal paradigms, "Climate Constitutionalism Momentum: Adaptive Legal Systems" deals with three major means to combat anthropogenic climate change-namely science, politics and law-further addressing the thesis regarding a supposed adaptiveness of legal systems and proposing new pathways for further inquiries on the current climate constitutionalism momentum. The book introduces the international efforts in acknowledging the need for concrete measures to achieve ambitious results, addressing the comparative public law debate, merging theoretical appraisals and quantitative insights under a top-down approach and a civil-law methodology. Furthermore, the book combines theoretical and empirical viewpoints in reference to climate justice and litigation. The last part of the argumentative pattern merges the aforementioned key elements and grounds of investigation, providing an overall account of the current climate constitutionalism momentum. Academic researchers are the book's primary audience, but it is also targeted for undergraduate and postgraduate students of specific courses. For the numerous insights and the contemporary relevance of the topic, the book is also addressed to political stakeholders and legal practitioners. Given the transnational development of this area of law, the expected audience of the book is global.

This book presents a new framework for the 'trade and environment' debate and discusses the ways in which the EU and the WTO address this topic: positive, negative and non-integration. It analyses areas like food safety and renewable energy from the perspectives of legal and political science, and economics, and includes contributions focusing on various approaches, such as harmonisation, regulatory cooperation and judicialisation. In the 21st century, especially in our current times, where free trade and economic integration are increasingly being called into question, it is even more vital to find convincing normative answers and ways to address the very complex relationship between trade and environmental policies. Debunking some of the myths concerning positive and negative integration and the relationship between the two, this book is a valuable contribution to the debate on globalisation.

This groundbreaking book collects contributions from many of the world's leading climate and energy law scholars and provides the first major study of national Climate Change Acts. This cutting-edge type of legislation originated with the first Climate Change Act framework which was passed in the United Kingdom in 2008, and is intended to enable the law to grapple effectively with one of the great problems of our times, anthropogenic climate change. Since 2008, national framework climate legislation has been slowly but steadily emerging in countries across the world. This trailblazing collection employs a comparative analytical legal methodology and offers the first comprehensive study of this new, innovative form of legislative regime. In addition to containing broad internationalist chapters, deep-dive national case study chapters are included that focus on individual countries and provide analytical depth. A final chapter draws together the threads of the book's foregoing contributions to deduce generalisable conceptual insights based on current knowledge and experience. Uniquely, the book provides a conceptual model for Climate Change Acts that can usefully inform the development of national framework climate legislation in all countries.

The international community is not taking the action necessary to avert dangerous increases in greenhouse gases. Facing a potentially bleak future, the question that confronts humanity is whether the best of bad alternatives may be to counter global warming through human-engineered climate interventions. In this book, eleven prominent authorities on climate change consider the legal, policy and philosophical issues presented by geoengineering. The book asks: when, if ever, are decisions to embark on potentially risky climate modification projects justified? If such decisions can be justified, in a world without a central governing authority, who should authorize such projects and by what moral and legal right? If states or private actors undertake geoengineering ventures absent the blessing of the international community, what recourse do the rest of us have?

The thawing Antarctic continent offers living space and marine and mineral resources that were previously inaccessible. This book discusses how revisiting the Antarctic Treaty System and dividing up the continent preemptively could spare the world serious conflict. The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements-collectively known as the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS)-regulate the seventh continent, which is the only continent without a native human population. The main treaty within the ATS came into force in 1961 and suspended all territorial claims in Antarctica. The Antarctic Environmental Protocol followed in 1998 and prohibited any minerals exploitation in the continent. With this prohibition up for review in 2048, this book asks whether the Antarctic Treaty can continue to protect Antarctica. Doaa Abdel-Motaal-an expert on environmental issues who has traveled through the Arctic and Antarctic-explains that the international community must urgently turn its attention to examining how to divide up the thawing continent in a peaceful manner. She discusses why the Antarctic Treaty is unlikely to be an adequate measure in the face of international competition for invaluable resources in the 21st century. She argues that factors such as global warming, the growth in climate refugees that the world is about to witness, and the increasingly critical quest for energy resources will make the Antarctic continent a highly sought-after objective. Readers will come to appreciate that what has likely protected Antarctica so far was not the Antarctic Treaty but the continent's harsh climate and isolation. With Antarctica potentially becoming habitable only a few decades from now, revisiting the Antarctic Treaty in favor of an orderly division of the continent is likely to be the best plan for avoiding costly conflict. Argues that the Antarctic Treaty, which was opened for signature in 1959, needs to be reconsidered since pressure continues to build for the occupation of the continent and the exploitation of its living and non-living resources Suggests that international conflict over Antarctica is likely in the coming decades, particularly because the ban on mineral resources is up for revision in 2048 Argues that policymakers need to draw lessons from the economic competition the world is now witnessing in the thawing Arctic Ocean

Protecting Traditional Knowledge examines the emerging international frameworks for the protection of Indigenous traditional knowledge, and presents an analysis situated at the intersection between intellectual property, access and benefit sharing, and Indigenous peoples' rights to self-determination. Drawing on the experience of India and Peru, the author identifies lessons that may be used by Indigenous and local communities in making decisions regarding the protection of traditional knowledge. Using these two key case studies, the book argues that a sui generis regime based on principles of self-determination, prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms may empower Indigenous and local communities and act as a form of corrective justice. This informative and accessible book will be a valuable resource for Indigenous and local peoples as well as scholars of intellectual property law, Indigenous knowledge systems and international environmental law. It will also be of interest to readers working in policy development, governance, law and international development, human rights and the rights of Indigenous and local communities.

The Research Handbook on International Water Law surveys the field of the law of shared freshwater resources. In some thirty chapters, it covers subjects ranging from the general principles operative in the field and international groundwater law to the human right to water and whether international water law is prepared to cope with climate disruption. Its comprehensive survey of international water law links international water principles to case studies and examples from specific basins, to bring research into real-world relevancy. Different regional traditions and frameworks of international water law are presented in order to provide a global overview. The work is edited by three scholars and practitioners whose work deals with the law of international watercourses and features perspectives from distinguished experts in the field. This Research Handbook will be a crucial resource for academics and researchers, students, relevant government agencies, and practitioners interested in water law and humanitarian law. Contributors include: L. Boisson de Chazournes, L. Caflisch, M. Curlier, L. del Castillo Laborde, J.W. Dellapenna, G.M. Farnelli, B. Guthrie, J.G. Lammers, R. Larson, C. Leb, D. Magraw, M.M. Mbengue, S.C. McCaffrey, O. McIntyre, M.M. Murcia, N. Odili, D. Padmanabhan, R.K. Paisley, C. Parseghian, G. Reichert, A. Rieu-Clarke, A.F.S. Russell, S.M.A. Salman, S.M. Schwebel, Y. Su, A. Tanzi, A.D. Tarlock, M. Tignino, P. Udomritthiruj, K. Uprety, S. Vinogradov, I.T. Winkler, P. Wouters, D. Ziganshina

The UK Climate Change Act was the first case of a country implementing blanket legally binding long-term emissions reduction targets in order to combat climate change. This book provides the first accessible and in-depth analysis of the UK's complex Climate Change Act framework, presenting the discussion in a clear and interdisciplinary manner designed to open the workings of the challenging framework to a broad audience. It discusses the political 'story' surrounding the framework, and its treatment in scholarly environmental literature; analyses the technical content of the Act; explores the framework's international significance, and its internal 'subnational' dimensions and impact, engaging the UK's devolved jurisdictions of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. This first, much-needed interdisciplinary treatment of the framework is both introductory and analytical in nature and will be of interest to scholars, practitioners and general readers of environmental studies, policy and governance.

The Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) is widely used in the petroleum industry as a contractual framework for joint ventures across different continents and standardsThe first part of this book deals with considerations prior to entering into a JOA, such as compliance with bribery laws; standards, practices and procedures across the petroleum industry; enforceability of JOAs and understanding decommissioning obligations. The second part focusses on key clauses within any JOA covering topics including health and safety considerations; liability and insurance; and control of operations and expenditures.This is a unique publication dedicated to analysing all of these key practical issues faced by oil and gas companies in different parts of the world in negotiating and implementing a JOA in a single book publication.

Climate change is causing a geological transition, defining a new era in which the Earth System is configured through human action. The emergence of a global polity through physical, economic and social interaction demands a global response to this phenomenon which cannot be modelled on traditional political and legal concepts centred around the nation-state. This Research Handbook explores the implementation of climate constitutionalism on a global scale, considering both language and substance in order to design adequate normative patterns for addressing climate change. Against the narrative of the Anthropocene and its implications for the law, carefully curated chapters provide a critical approach to global environmental constitutionalism, analysing the problems of sustainability and global equity that are so necessarily intertwined with the causes and consequences of climate change. Recognising the adaptation and mitigation demands implied by climate change, this astute Handbook explores how to develop constitutional discourses and strategies to address these issues, and thereby tackle the negative effects of climate change whilst also advancing a more sustainable, equitable and responsible global society. Timely and engaging, this Research Handbook will prove vital reading for students and scholars of environmental, constitutional and administrative law and policy. Climate change practitioners, policy makers and activists will also find its insights highly informative. Contributors include: S. Atapattu, S. Borras, K. Bosselmann, E. Cocciolo, G.M. Cuadros, E. Daly, P. de Araujo Ayala, B.H. Desai, R.J. Heffron, A. Hornborg, J. Jaria-Manzano, L.J. Kotze, J.R. May, D. McCauley, K. Morrow, M. Powers, J.M. Pureza, B.K. Sidhu, A. Sinden

With a preface by Mr Y. Paleokrassas, European Commissioner for the Environment, this work indicates how environmental sustainability can be achieved in ways which support economic development and employment. It demonstrates the quantitative implications of policy choices and shows what mix of policies will be needed if employment prospects are to be increased while environmental assets are conserved. Among policy options examined are various fiscal measures including increases in energy taxes and higher charges for water: these and other major policy choices are analyzed in the light of their impact on economic and environmental models within the European Union to deduce what the economic/environmental future would be like if particular policy choices are pursued.

The Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law is a landmark reference work, providing definitive and comprehensive coverage of this dynamic field. Each volume probes the key elements of law, the essential concepts, and the latest research through concise, structured entries written by international experts. Each entry includes an extensive bibliography as a starting point for further reading. The mix of authoritative commentary and insightful discussion will make this an essential tool for research and teaching, as well as a valuable resource for professionals and policymakers. Countries throughout the world have adopted increasingly comprehensive environmental laws over recent years. Even so, immense challenges remain to achieve desired sustainability outcomes. One of the key problems in bridging the gap between legal requirements and sustainability outcomes is deficiencies in compliance and enforcement programs. Compliance and Enforcement of Environmental Law, one of the constituent volumes in the Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law, brings together leading experts to provide a detailed overview of critical issues associated with assuring compliance with environmental laws. The expert entries are structured around key topics, including: compliance promotion, private governance, common law causes of action, writing enforceable rules, monitoring and reporting requirements, administrative enforcement, civil judicial enforcement, assessment of civil penalties, and criminal liability. The book addresses efforts to maximize the value of limited resources and evaluate the effectiveness of relevant tools. It also reviews both regulatory and non-regulatory compliance mechanisms. Each entry includes a detailed bibliography to facilitate more in-depth research. Providing a broad overview, concise explanations and avenues for research, this assessment of environmental law compliance and enforcement is an indispensable tool for students, academics and practitioners. Contributors include: M.-E. Arbour, P. Asbeek-Brusse, K. Barker, N.S Bryner, L. Collins, M. de Bree, H. de Haas, R.E. Deming, R.L. Glicksman, B. Grigg, N. Gunningham, D. Hindin, C. Holley, R.L. Juni, H.H. Kang, S.F. Mandiberg, D.L. Markell, H. McCready, H. McLeod-Kilmurray, S.H. Metzenbaum, J.G. Miller, J.A. Mintz, L.C. Paddock, M.T. Sanders, J.P. Shimshack, J. Silberman, D. Sinclair, S.L. Stafford

Provides a comprehensive overview of Legal Instruments for Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, an important development in international law.