Advances in Environmental and Sustainability Law

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental law (or what is increasingly being referred to as ‘sustainability law’) is a relatively young discipline and area of practice. The approaching anniversary of the Earth Summit and genesis of the Convention on Biological Diversity is an opportune time to ponder the lessons and insights about environmental law garnered over these last twenty years.

This Special Issue calls upon contributors to consider what advances have been made within environmental law since the Earth Summit that may provide a basis for the further development and elaboration of environmental law in the future.

For the purposes of this Issue an environmental law advance is conceived of in broad terms.  It may be:

• a legal principle, policy or practice;
• a mode or model of regulation;
• a judicial doctrine or decision; or
• an institution or governance arrangement.

To qualify, however, the advance in question must involve a clear departure from existing practice or orthodoxy that has emerged -- and/or whose utility or value to environmental law has gained recognition -- since 1992.

Each of the articles profiled in this issue must ‘make the case’ for the advance they claim, and offer an analysis of how and why it merits this designation. Manuscripts may draw upon sub-national, national, regional or international exemplars.  Submissions that feature a comparative assessment of competing approaches to environmental regulation, adjudication or legal practice are especially encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Chris Tollefson
Guest Editor