Although many developing countries have environmental statutes, regulations, and resolutions on the books, these laws are rarely enforced and often ignored. "Making Law Matter" presents the first book-length treatment of an innovative prosecutorial institution, the Brazilian Ministrio Publico, which refashioned itself in the 1980s into a powerful defender of citizen rights in environmental protection, as well as in other areas of public interest such as disability rights, consumer protection, and anticorruption.
In Brazil, the offices of prosecutors and courts have become an important forum for resolving environmental conflicts, making environmental law more effective than in the past. Court involvement communicates the end of impunity for violators. It increases the accountability of governmental agencies and provides legal access for citizen complaints. In short, it enhances environmental rule of law. As developing countries continue to seek to reform their legal systems to strengthen democracy and the rule of law, the Brazilian Ministrio Publico must be recognized as a very promising model.

Pioneers in an emergent field, the authors of Climate Change Law and Policy have created a modular and accessible text with extensive web resources. Designed for 2- and 3-credit courses, discussion, commentary, and exercises are integrated into every chapter. Tracing key legal developments, the scope of this landmark text spans international, United States, foreign, state and local, and nongovernmental efforts to address climate change. A concise text that takes a global view, Climate Change Law and Policy features: accessible and modular format that can adapt to a variety of teaching objectives timely coverage of key legal developments in climate change control around the world discussion of the role of non-nation-state actors in forming climate change policy, including cities, corporations, NGO's, and individuals draws from commentary of leading experts on each topic exercises in each chapter based on major law and policy issues extensive web resources, including updates and links