Environmental Law And Sustainability After Rio

‘This volume is a timely addition which provides a review of the shortcomings of some crucial aspects of environmental law and policy, from which there are lessons to be learned. Environmental law specialists from universities around the world have contributed to this exceptional book. It offers valuable and wide-ranging insights and is highly recommended reading.’
– Nikita Lopoukhine, Chair, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas

‘The Rio Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 was a watershed in environmental law and sustainable development. It unleashed hopes and expectations particularly for the developing countries and the poor and disadvantaged in the global community. The editors have admirably, through a galaxy of leading and eminent intellectuals from the North and the South, analysed the promise of Rio and its impact in the last two decades. It is a remarkable balance sheet of success and failure, of achievements and disappointments. The narrative is compelling and gripping. A must-read for courses in environmental law and policy.’
– Parvez Hassan, Former Chair, IUCN Commission on Environmental Law, 1990–1996, President, Pakistan Environment Law Association

This book examines the development of environmental law in the period since the ground-breaking 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development or ‘Earth Summit’ in Rio de Janeiro.

It demonstrates that a great deal has been achieved in the field of environmental law since the 1990s. However, the extraordinary environmental crises facing humanity in the 21st century indicate a continuing urgent need for the generation of robust policies and frameworks concerning ecological, socio-cultural and economic sustainability, implemented through appropriately innovative legal mechanisms. The book is divided into five sub-themes of sustainability: history, principles and concepts; environmental rights, access to justice and liability issues; natural resources; energy and climate change; and nature conservation. It includes expert legal opinion on developments to date, engaging with key themes from a broad selection of jurisdictions and perspectives. The analyses extend across public and private law to reflect the manifold areas which are rightly and necessarily the concern of environmental and sustainability law. Its contents offer not only critiques of developments to date, but also constructive engagement with matters of pressing concern to all.

Written from a global perspective, this book will be an invaluable reference for academics, postgraduate students, practitioners and policy-makers concerned with environmental law and sustainability.