Environmental law
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Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment.
History
Early examples of laws designed to preserve the environment for its own sake or for human enjoyment are found throughout history. In the
Pollution control
Air quality
Water quality
Waste management
Contaminant cleanup
Chemical safety
Chemical safety laws govern the use of
Resource sustainability
Impact assessment
Water resources
Water resources laws govern the ownership and use of
Mineral resources
Forest resources
Wildlife and plants
Wildlife laws govern the potential impact of human activity on wild animals, whether directly on individuals or populations, or indirectly via habitat degradation. Similar laws may operate to protect plant species. Such laws may be enacted entirely to protect biodiversity, or as a means for protecting species deemed important for other reasons. Regulatory efforts may include the creation of special conservation statuses, prohibitions on killing, harming, or disturbing protected species, efforts to induce and support species recovery, establishment of wildlife refuges to support conservation, and prohibitions on trafficking in species or animal parts to combat poaching.
Fish and game
Fish and game laws regulate the right to pursue and take or kill certain kinds of
Principles
Environmental law has developed in response to emerging awareness of and concern over issues impacting the entire world. While laws have developed piecemeal and for a variety of reasons, some effort has gone into identifying key concepts and guiding principles common to environmental law as a whole.[20] The principles discussed below are not an exhaustive list and are not universally recognized or accepted. Nonetheless, they represent important principles for the understanding of environmental law around the world.
Sustainable development
Defined by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," sustainable development may be considered together with the concepts of "integration" (development cannot be considered in isolation from sustainability) and "interdependence" (social and economic development, and environmental protection, are interdependent).[21] Laws mandating environmental impact assessment and requiring or encouraging development to minimize environmental impacts may be assessed against this principle.
The modern concept of sustainable development was a topic of discussion at the 1972
Equity
Defined by UNEP to include intergenerational equity – "the right of future generations to enjoy a fair level of the common patrimony" – and intragenerational equity – "the right of all people within the current generation to fair access to the current generation's entitlement to the Earth's natural resources" – environmental equity considers the present generation under an obligation to account for long-term impacts of activities, and to act to sustain the global environment and resource base for future generations.[22] Pollution control and resource management laws may be assessed against this principle.
Transboundary responsibility
Defined in the international law context as an obligation to protect one's own environment, and to prevent damage to neighboring environments, UNEP considers transboundary responsibility at the international level as a potential limitation on the rights of the
Public participation and transparency
Identified as essential conditions for "accountable governments,... industrial concerns," and organizations generally, public participation and transparency are presented by UNEP as requiring "effective protection of the human right to hold and express opinions and to seek, receive and impart ideas,... a right of access to appropriate, comprehensible and timely information held by governments and industrial concerns on economic and social policies regarding the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment, without imposing undue financial burdens upon the applicants and with adequate protection of privacy and business confidentiality," and "effective judicial and administrative proceedings." These principles are present in
Precautionary principle
One of the most commonly encountered and controversial principles of environmental law, the
In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation
The principle may play a role in any debate over the need for environmental regulation.
Prevention
- The concept of prevention ... can perhaps better be considered an overarching aim that gives rise to a multitude of legal mechanisms, including prior assessment of environmental harm, licensing or authorization that set out the conditions for operation and the consequences for violation of the conditions, as well as the adoption of strategies and policies. Emission limits and other product or process standards, the use of best available techniques and similar techniques can all be seen as applications of the concept of prevention.[24]
Polluter pays principle
The polluter pays principle is the idea that "the environmental costs of economic activities, including the cost of preventing potential harm, should be internalized rather than imposed upon society at large."[25] All issues related to responsibility for cost for environmental remediation and compliance with pollution control regulations involve this principle.
Theory
Environmental law is a continuing source of controversy. Debates over the necessity, fairness, and cost of environmental regulation are ongoing, as well as regarding the appropriateness of regulations vs. market solutions to achieve even agreed-upon ends.
It is very common for regulated industry to argue against environmental regulation on the basis of cost.[28] Difficulties arise in performing cost–benefit analysis of environmental issues. It is difficult to quantify the value of an environmental value such as a healthy ecosystem, clean air, or species diversity. Many environmentalists' response to pitting economy vs. ecology is summed up by former Senator and founder of Earth Day Gaylord Nelson, "The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the other way around."[29] Furthermore, environmental issues are seen by many as having an ethical or moral dimension, which would transcend financial cost. Even so, there are some efforts underway to systemically recognize environmental costs and assets, and account for them properly in economic terms.
While affected industries spark controversy in fighting regulation, there are also many environmentalists and public interest groups who believe that current regulations are inadequate, and advocate for stronger protection.[30][31][32] Environmental law conferences – such as the annual Public Interest Environmental Law Conference in Eugene, Oregon – typically have this focus, also connecting environmental law with class, race, and other issues.
An additional debate is to what extent environmental laws are fair to all regulated parties. For instance, researchers Preston Teeter and Jorgen Sandberg highlight how smaller organizations can often incur disproportionately larger costs as a result of environmental regulations, which can ultimately create an additional barrier to entry for new firms, thus stifling competition and innovation.[33]
International environmental law
Global and regional environmental issues are increasingly the subject of international law. Debates over environmental concerns implicate core principles of international law and have been the subject of numerous international agreements and declarations.
Customary international law is an important source of international environmental law. These are the norms and rules that countries follow as a matter of custom and they are so prevalent that they bind all states in the world. When a principle becomes customary law is not clear cut and many arguments are put forward by states not wishing to be bound. Examples of customary international law relevant to the environment include the duty to warn other states promptly about icons of an environmental nature and environmental damages to which another state or states may be exposed, and Principle 21 of the Stockholm Declaration ('good neighborliness' or sic utere).
Given that customary international law is not static but ever evolving and the continued increase of air pollution (carbon dioxide) causing climate changes, has led to discussions on whether basic customary principles of international law, such as the jus cogens (peremptory norms) and erga omnes principles could be applicable for enforcing international environmental law.[34]
Numerous legally binding international agreements encompass a wide variety of issue-areas, from terrestrial, marine and atmospheric pollution through to wildlife and biodiversity protection. International environmental agreements are generally multilateral (or sometimes bilateral) treaties (a.k.a. convention, agreement, protocol, etc.). Protocols are subsidiary agreements built from a primary treaty. They exist in many areas of international law but are especially useful in the environmental field, where they may be used to regularly incorporate recent scientific knowledge. They also permit countries to reach an agreement on a framework that would be contentious if every detail were to be agreed upon in advance. The most widely known protocol in international environmental law is the Kyoto Protocol, which followed from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
While the bodies that proposed, argued, agreed upon, and ultimately adopted existing international agreements vary according to each agreement, certain conferences, including 1972's
International environmental law also includes the opinions of international courts and tribunals. While there are few and they have limited authority, the decisions carry much weight with legal commentators and are quite influential on the development of international environmental law. One of the biggest challenges in international decisions is to determine an adequate compensation for environmental damages.[35] The courts include the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the European Court of Justice, European Court of Human Rights[36] and other regional treaty tribunals.
Previous research found that economic development level and the nations' moral value affected environmental regulation compliance. Developed countries like the US, EU, and Australia are urging for better laws targeting the reduction of harmful environmental impacts. It is worth noting that there is a direct correlation between economic development and the distance between law and ethics. Developed countries have a closer relationship between environmental laws and moral values. If a country's legal system is completely divorced from its moral values, people may not abide by the laws and they will lose their significance and effectiveness. Despite environmental regulations, the water in India's River Ganges remains poor as an example.[37]
Around the world
Africa
According to the
Asia
The Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN) is an agreement between 16 Asian countries dedicated to improving cooperation with environmental laws in Asia. These countries include Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Maldives, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Lao PDR.[40]
European Union
The European Union issues secondary legislation on environmental issues that are valid throughout the EU (so called regulations) and many directives that must be implemented into national legislation from the 27 member states (national states). Examples are the Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 on the implementation of CITES; or the Natura 2000 network the centerpiece for nature & biodiversity policy, encompassing the bird Directive (79/409/EEC/ changed to 2009/147/EC)and the habitats directive (92/43/EEC). Which are made up of multiple SACs (Special Areas of Conservation, linked to the habitats directive) & SPAs (Special Protected Areas, linked to the bird directive), throughout Europe.
EU legislation is ruled in Article 249 Treaty for the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Topics for common EU legislation are:
- Climate change
- Air pollution
- Water protectionand management
- Waste management
- Soil protection
- Protection of nature, species and biodiversity
- Noise pollution
- Cooperation for the environment with third countries (other than EU member states)
- Civil protection
In February 2024, the European Parliament adopted a law making a big, intentionally caused, environmental damage “comparable to ecocide” a crime that can be punished by up to 10 years in prison. The members of the Union should enter it to their national law, during 2 years.[41] The Parliament also approved a nature restoration law which obligate members to restore 20% of degraded ecosystems (including 30% of drained peatland) by 2030 and 100% by 2050.[42]
Middle East
Environmental law is rapidly growing in the Middle East. The U.S.
Oceania
The main concerns about environmental issues in Oceania are "illegal releases of air and water
Australia
Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983), also known as the "Tasmanian Dam Case", was a highly significant case in Australian environmental law.[48]
The
Brazil
The Brazilian government created the
Canada
The
China
According to the U.S.
Environmental lawsuits have been available in China since the early 2000s.[61]: 15 Public protest, however, plays a greater role in shaping China's environmental policy than litigation does.[61]: 15
Congo (RC)
In the Republic of Congo, inspired by the African models of the 1990s, the phenomenon of constitutionalization of environmental law appeared in 1992, which completed an historical development of environmental law and policy dating back to the years of independence and even long before the colonization.[62] It gives a constitutional basis to environmental protection, which traditionally was part of the legal framework.[62] The two Constitutions of 15 March 1992 and 20 January 2002 concretize this paradigm,[62] by stating a legal obligation of a clean environment,[62] by establishing a principle of compensation and a foundation of criminal nature.[63] By this phenomenon, Congolese environmental law is situated between non-regression and the search for efficiency."[63]
Ecuador
With the enactment of the
The Rights of Nature articles in Ecuador's constitution are part of a reaction to a combination of political, economic, and social phenomena. Ecuador's abusive past with the
The influence of indigenous groups, from whom the concept of "Buen Vivir" originates, in the forming of the constitutional ideals also facilitated the incorporation of the Rights of Nature as a basic tenet of their culture and conceptualization of "Buen Vivir."[66]
Egypt
The
India
In India, Environmental law is governed by the Environment Protection Act, 1986.[68] This act is enforced by the Central Pollution Control Board and the numerous State Pollution Control Boards. Apart from this, there are also individual legislation specifically enacted for the protection of Water, Air, Wildlife, etc. Such legislations include :
- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977
- The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
- Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) (Union Territories) Rules, 1983
- The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972
- Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001
- Recycled Plastics, Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999
- The National Green Tribunal established under the National Green Tribunal Act of 2010[69] has jurisdiction over all environmental cases dealing with a substantial environmental question and acts covered under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
- Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules, 1978
- Ganga Action Plan, 1986
- The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
- Wildlife protection Act, 1972
- The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The acts covered under Indian Wild Life Protection Act 1972 do not fall within the jurisdiction of the National Green Tribunal.[70] Appeals can be filed in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India.[71]
- Basel Convention on Control of Transboundary Movements on Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, 1989 and Its Protocols
- Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Amendment Rules, 2003[72]
Japan
The
The three basic environmental principles that the Basic Environmental Law follows are "the blessings of the environment should be enjoyed by the present generation and succeeded to the future generations, a sustainable society should be created where environmental loads by human activities are minimized, and Japan should contribute actively to global environmental conservation through international cooperation."[73] From these principles, the Japanese government have established policies such as "environmental consideration in policy formulation, establishment of the Basic Environment Plan which describes the directions of long-term environmental policy, environmental impact assessment for development projects, economic measures to encourage activities for reducing environmental load, improvement of social infrastructure such as sewerage system, transport facilities etc., promotion of environmental activities by corporations, citizens and NGOs, environmental education, and provision of information, promotion of science and technology."[73]
New Zealand
The Ministry for the Environment and Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment were established by the Environment Act 1986. These positions are responsible for advising the Minister on all areas of environmental legislation. A common theme of New Zealand's environmental legislation is sustainably managing natural and physical resources, fisheries, and forests. The Resource Management Act 1991 is the main piece of environmental legislation that outlines the government's strategy to managing the "environment, including air, water soil, biodiversity, the coastal environment, noise, subdivision, and land use planning in general."[74]
Russia
The
Singapore
Singapore is a signatory of the
South Africa
United Kingdom
United States
Vietnam
Vietnam is currently working with the U.S.
See also
- Climate target
- Environmental health
- Environmental justice
- Environmental racism
- Environmental racism in Europe
- Indigenous rights
- International law
- List of environmental law journals
- List of international environmental agreements
- UK enterprise law
Notes
- ^ Phillipe Sands (2003) Principles of International Environmental Law. 2nd Edition. p. xxi Available at [1] Accessed 19 February 2020
- ^ "What is Environmental Law? | Becoming an Environmental Lawyer". Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ "NOUN | National Open University of Nigeria". nou.edu.ng. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
- ^ Aldred's Case (1610) 9 Co Rep 57b; (1610) 77 ER 816
- ^ R v Stephens (1866) LR 1 QB 702
- ^ Rylands v Fletcher [1868] UKHL 1
- ^ "WHO | Developing drinking-water quality regulations and standards". WHO. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
- ^ "Environmental Law - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
- ^ MacKinnon, A. J., Duinker, P. N., Walker, T. R. (2018). The Application of Science in Environmental Impact Assessment. Routledge.
- ISBN 978-1439828731
- ^ Caves, R. W. (2004). Encyclopedia of the City. Routledge. p. 227.
- ^ "Forestry regulation". www.dpi.nsw.gov.au. 2018. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
- ^ "What is Forestry Law? - Becoming a Forestry Lawyer". Retrieved 2021-12-09.
- .
- )
- ^ KAIMOWITZ, D. (2003). Forest law enforcement and rural livelihoods. The International Forestry Review, 5(3), 199–210. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43740118
- ^ Enters, Thomas; B. Durst, Patrick; B. Applegate, Grahame; C.S. Kho, Peter; Man, Gary (2001). "29. Policies, strategies and technologies for forest resource protection - William B. Magrath* and Richard Grandalski". Applying Reduced Impact Logging to Advance Sustainable Forest Management. Kuching, Malaysia: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- ^ "Principles of sustainable tropical forest management where wood production is the primary objective". Guidelines for the management of tropical forests 1. The production of wood (FAO forestry paper 135). Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 1998.
- . Retrieved 2016-11-30.
- ^ For example, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has identified eleven "emerging principles and concepts" in international environmental law, derived from the 1972 Stockholm Conference, the 1992 Rio Declaration, and more recent developments. UNEP, Training Manual on International Environmental Law (Chapter 3).
- ^ UNEP Manual, ¶¶ 12-19.
- ^ UNEP Manual, ¶¶ 20-23.
- ^ UNEP Manual, ¶¶ 24-28.
- ^ UNEP Manual, ¶¶ 58.
- Rio Declaration Principle 16; UNEP Manual¶ 63.
- ^ See, e.g., DDT.
- ^ The Christian Science Monitor (22 June 2010). "Merchants of Doubt". The Christian Science Monitor.
- .
- ISBN 978-0-299-18040-9. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
- ^ "Can the World Really Set Aside Half of the Planet for Wildlife?". Smithsonian.
- ^ "Climate Coalition Vows 'Peaceful, Escalated' Actions Until 'We Break Free from Fossil Fuels'". Common Dreams.
- ^ "A Guide to Environmental Non-Profits". Mother Jones.
- S2CID 157986703.
- ^ Jesper Jarl Fanø (2019). Enforcing International Maritime Legislation on Air Pollution through UNCLOS. Hart Publishing. Part IV (Ch. 16-18)
- ISBN 978-90-411-3437-0.
- ^ "ECtHR case-law factsheet on environment" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-10. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
- ^ Li, R.Y.M.; Li, Y.L.; Crabbe, M.J.C.; Manta, O.; Shoaib, M. The Impact of Sustainability Awareness and Moral Values on Environmental Laws. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5882. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13115882
- ^ "INECE Regions- Africa". Archived from the original on 20 August 2002. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ a b c "Africa International Programs". Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ "AECEN". www.aecen.org. Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
- ^ Mølgaard Henriksen, Mette (27 February 2024). "'Revolutionary': EU Parliament votes to criminalise most serious cases of ecosystem destruction". Euronews. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ Niranjan, Ajit (27 February 2024). "European parliament votes for watered-down law to restore nature". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "EPA Middle East". Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ "INECE Regions - Asia and the Pacific". Archived from the original on December 17, 2002. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ "Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP)".
- ^ "Agreement Establishing SPREP". Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ISBN 978-982-04-0475-5.
- ^ Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR 1 (1 July 1983)
- ^ "EPBC Act". Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ "About the review". Independent review of the EPBC Act. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- ^ Cox, Lisa (20 July 2020). "Australia's environment in unsustainable state of decline, major review finds". the Guardian. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "Apresentação". Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ "Department of the Environment Act". 31 December 2002. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ "Environment Canada". 2007-01-09. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ See Canada's Legal System Overview Archived 2017-08-22 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ EPA, China Environmental Law Initiative.
- ^ Vermont Law School, China Partnership for Environmental Law Archived 2012-07-20 at the Wayback Machine; C. McElwee, Environmental Law in China: Mitigating Risk and Ensuring Compliance.
- ^ NRDC, Environmental Law in China.
- SSRN 2128167.
- ^ Rachel E. Stern, Environmental Litigation in China: A Study in Political Ambivalence (Cambridge University Press 2013)
- ^ JSTOR j.ctv19rs1b2.
- ^ a b c d Nzaou-Kongo, Aubin (2016). "L'ambivalence du droit de l'environnement en République du Congo". Retrieved 15 January 2021.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ a b Nzaou-Kongo, Aubin (2014). "La constitutionnalisation du droit de l'environnement au Congo-Brazzaville". Retrieved 15 January 2021.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "CELDF | Community Rights Pioneers | Protecting Nature and Communities". CELDF. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
- ^ Gudynas, Eduardo. 2011. Buen Vivir: Today's Tomorrow Development 54(4):441-447.
- ^ Becker, Marc. 2011 Correa, Indigenous Movements, and the Writing of a New Constitution in Ecuador. Latin American Perspectives 38(1):47-62.
- ^ "Law 4". Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ "THE ENVIRONMENT (PROTECTION) ACT, 1986". envfor.nic.in. Archived from the original on 2002-06-13. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-08-10. Retrieved 2014-05-27.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "THE INDIAN WILDLIFE (PROTECTION) ACT, 1972". envfor.nic.in. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
- ^ Rhuks Temitope, "THE JUDICIAL RECOGNITION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE RIGHT TO ENVIRONMENT:DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES FROM NIGERIA AND INDIA", NUJS LAW REVIEW,March 11, 2020
- ISBN 9789351451914.
- ^ a b c "The Basic Environment Law". Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ "Ministry for the Environment". Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ "Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ^ Unit, Biosafety (2006-06-20). "Singapore". www.cbd.int. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
- ^ "National Parks Board (CITES)". customs.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
- ^ "Parks and Trees Act - Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
- ^ "Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act - Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
- ^ "Wildlife Act - Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
- ^ "Wildlife (Protected Wildlife Species) Rules 2020 - Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
- ^ "Vietnam International Programs". Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
References
- ISBN 5-214-00225-4(in English and Russian)
- Bimal N. Patel, ed. (2015). MCQ on Environmental Law. ISBN 9789351452454
- Farber & Carlson, eds. (2013). Cases and Materials on Environmental Law, 9th. West Academic Publishing. 1008 pp. ISBN 978-0314283986.
- Faure, Michael, and Niels Philipsen, eds. (2014). Environmental Law & European Law. The Hague: Eleven International Publishing. 142 pp. ISBN 9789462360754(in English)
- Malik, Surender & Sudeep Malik, eds. (2015). Supreme Court on Environment Law. ISBN 9789351451914
- Martin, Paul & Amanda Kennedy, eds. (2015). Implementing Environmental Law. Edward Elgar Publishing
Further reading
- Around the world, environmental laws are under attack in all sorts of ways (30 May 2017), The Conversation
External links
- International
- United Nations Environment Programme
- ECOLEX (Gateway to Environmental Law)
- Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (E-LAW)
- Centre for International Environmental Law
- Wildlife Interest Group, American Society of International Law
- EarthRights International
- Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense
- United Kingdom Environmental Law Association
- Lexadin global law database
- Upholding Environmental Laws in Asia and the Pacific
- United States
- American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Environmental Law Institute (ELI)
- EarthJustice
- "Law Journals: Submission and Ranking, 2007-2014", Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia
- Canada
- West Coast Environmental Law (non-profit law firm)
- Ecojustice
- Canadian Environmental Law Association
- Environmental Law Centre (of Alberta)
- European Union