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Coral reefs need strong management and protection efforts. However, public awareness and legal instruments concerning coral reefs are still insufficient. An ecosystem service model perspective is needed for the optimum management of that ecosystem. This study examined the relationship between ecosystem services management in international, national and local environmental laws and the coral reef ecosystem. An analytical descriptive qualitative method with the environmental services model and statutory regulation approaches was used. The researcher found a good relationship between the ecosystem services management in the international, national and local environmental laws and the policy planning concerning the sustainable development of the coral reef ecosystem. However, not all of the existing regulations support the environmental services model. It is because the regulatory framework is not complete, and existing norms do not support the efforts to improve people's welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines how environmental law policies in Indonesia has been affected by the implementation of regional autonomy. Topics covered include necessity of the integration of "eco-cratic" principles and regional autonomy for the realisation of ecological sustainability and community welfare in the age of regional autonomy, importance of the reinforcement of regional authority in the field of the environment, and problems with political will behind environmental law in Indonesia.

A paper which examines the complementarity of international economic and environmental laws, and their implementation in achieving sustainable development, is presented. Topics covered include need for cooperation between economic and environmental law among states, challenges posed by the sustainable development principle to the implementation of environmental law, and factors compromising implementation of environmental treaties.

The article discusses a study on the progress and transition towards a green economy in Morocco. Topics covered include the environmental communication practices of Moroccan companies, challenges that have hampered the country's efforts to anchor the principles of sustainable development, such as the adverse effects of climate change and the loss of biodiversity, and environmental report or a sustainable development report that Moroccan companies are obliged to publish.

The article focuses on China's plan to launch a national emissions trading scheme (ETS). Topics discussed include the possibility that China will seek to link its ETS with other ETS schemes, the various forms of linkage and their different effects, and signs that China and the European Union are very likely to cooperate in the field of emissions trading.

The article offers information on the status and most recent meetings of the Compliance Committees established under two protocols to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Topics discussed include the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, the protocols' focus on environmental law and policy, and their compliance mechanisms.

The article presents international developments in environmental law and policy in the marine sector associated to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 2016. The Second Preparatory Conference for legally binding instrument development on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction was held from August 26 to September 9. The Seventeenth Meeting of UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea focuses on plastics and marine debris.

The article offers information on the 70th regular session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA-70) to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from May 4, 2016 to June 5, 2016 which features the international environmental law and policy to promote environmental protection.

China - Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Climate Change Legislation (Mingde Cao) 52 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SPREP / AGM-23 - Pacific Environment Moving Forward (David Sheppard) 351 Pacific Islands Forum - Taking an Oceanscape Approach 353 Pacific Islands Forum - Leaders Collaborate to Address Key Concerns 355 Earth Observation from Satellites: Supporting the Outcomes of UNCSD (Rio+20) - (Stephen A. Briggs and Stephen Ward) 357 EU - Developments in Environmental Law (Annalisa Savaresi) 365 EU - Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe - The Process 370 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UN / GA-65 - Environmental Law and Policy on the Agenda (Elisa Morgera) 196 LOS - Law of the Sea Meetings (Ann Powers) 200 UNEP / IEG / 1st Meeting - International Environmental Governance Reform "A Briefing for the UN Missions" (Angela Cropper) 202 FAO - Council and Committee on Agriculture "Recent Activities" (Elsa Tsioumani) 205 - Wildlife Legislation for Empowerment of the Poor (Elisa Morgera and Elsa Tsioumani) 206 IPBES - New Science-Policy Platform? 208 CBD / ABS-9 - Seeking Agreement on Access and Benefit Sharing (Elsa Tsioumani) 209 UNFCCC - Progress on Climate Commitments and Cooperation? 212 - The Disappearance of "1.5 Degrees Celsius" 215 CMS - Inquiry into Future Directions for the Convention 216 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several issues that led to the development of international environmental policy. It includes the awarding of Francoise Burhenne-Guilmin and David Freestone as the 2007 laureates of the Elizabeth Haub Prize for Environmental Law. Another is the papers written by the two awardees including the identification of what was considered the hotspots in biodiversity law such as the implementation deficit of the environmental programs, and another on the modern principles of high seas governance such as the protection and preservation of the marine environment.

The article presents several papers regarding the United Nations' efforts to environmental policy and its developments. It includes the universal realization of the human rights to food and to water and the need to have equitable access to the natural resources of land, water and seeds as well as to credit. Another is an overview and summaries of resolution adopted during the 63rd session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, particularly those of environment or legal import. Also, is the examination of the report of the UN Secretary-General on the development of the implementation of Agenda 21.

The article presents developments of the environmental policy in Tehran and in European. It includes the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea which tackles several issues including the adoption of the Strategic Convention Action Programme and the development of priority Protocols to the Tehran Convention which includes the area of conservation and rational use of the aquatic resources. Another is the agreed climate package by the European Union (EU) which aims to lower carbon emission that contributes to climate change. Also, is the developments of environmental protection in the EU.

The article provides information on the programme areas of the Montevideo Programme along with its objectives, strategies and actions. It cites several programme areas which include the effectiveness of environmental law; the conservation, management, and sustainable use of natural resources; and the challenges for environmental law. The programme will discuss the effective ways on how to implement and enforce the environmental law and enhance the conservation protection, integrated management and sustainable use of freshwater resources. Meanwhile, several challenges that may hinder the pursuance of environmental laws include climate change, poverty, and environmental emergencies and natural disasters.

The article discusses several international developments regarding environmental policy and law. It discusses how human rights developments relate to the development policy in Germany. It also presents the proposal for Global Environmental Goals, along with a description of the challenges of the international environmental regime and the efforts to improve environmental governance. The article also focuses on the International Tropical Timber Organization, an intergovernmental organization focused on the sustainable management, use and trade of tropical forest resources. Also, it offers a review of the book "Weaving a Web of Environmental Law," by Barbara J. Lausche.

The article focuses on the various initiatives to address environmental issues. It discusses the new protocol on integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), the goals for the environmental sustainability in the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) regions, and the carbon price signal created from the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). ICZM aims to improve integrated coastal governance and sustain development of coastal zones. Goals of the ESCWA regions include developing and implementing energy conservation policies and promulgating adequate environmental legislation. Meanwhile, ETS carbon price signal was created to deliver emissions reductions associated with European economic activity. Barriers for the implementation of these initiatives are also discussed.

The article discusses United Nations programs for sustainable development. The author traces the origins from the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972 and the establishment of the U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP). He reviews various Multilateral Agreements on the Environment including the Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the Montreal Protocol. He discusses financing mechanisms such as the Environment Fund and the Global Environment Facility. He concludes that the French proposal to transform UNEP into a World Environmental Organization would be modeled on the World Health Organization.

The article discusses the toxicity of the chemical element mercury and the need for international regulation to significantly reduce global levels of mercury pollution. Information on mercury is provided, focusing on its sources, industrial uses, environmental impact and possible methods of pollution control. The various international conventions which regulate mercury use and disposal are reviewed. Objections to a unified global legal regime on mercury have been raised by developing countries, out of concern that their development may be impeded by such regulations, as well as by the United States, which favors a decentralized approach and bilateral agreements.

The article discusses the factors involved in establishing a legal framework for regulating sustainable development in Central Asia. As most environmental problems are not limited by national boundaries, international cooperation is required. Widespread political support for such cooperation has been expressed at the highest levels of government. Certain areas of Central Asia which face environmental difficulties are specified, including the Aral Sea Basin, Amu Darya rivers and the many regions threatened by desertification.

The article discusses the international treaty known as the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic and an annex to this treaty which would establish principles of liability arising from environmental emergencies. Arguments for the ratification of the annex are presented, although it is said to be limited in scope and the need for a more comprehensive liability regime is described. An overview of the Antarctic Treaty System is provided along with a brief history of the negotiations involved in writing the liability annex.

This article discusses the relationship between environmental law in the United States and the response to global terrorism. According to the author, terrorism is a short-term act of commission which can be risk-assessed and prudent insurance policies can be developed. Environmental threats such as global warming are long-term acts of omission which have been overshadowed by the war on terrorism. He argues that terrorism diverts sustainable resources through the efforts to cope with the environmental consequences of terrorism and the neglect or repeal of on-going environmental management systems. He suggests that the strengthening of environmental laws will make it harder for terrorists to succeed and an independent environmental auditor would make it more difficult for governments to shift priorities.

This article discusses the conditions and safeguards necessary to entrench environmental law into the constitutions of resource-rich African countries. According to the author, these eight conditions if ratified by parliaments could reduce regional conflicts and mitigate poverty throughout Africa. The conditions include plans for industrial development, socio-economic development, resettlement, environmental management and restoration, capacity development, revenue management and an environmental impact assessment. He cites examples of countries where some of these conditions have been incorporated into resource contracts.

This article discusses the role of judicial commissions in implementing environmental protection policies in India and Pakistan. According to the author, the administrative governments and legislatures of South Asia have promoted economic growth, but have not made environmental management a priority. He argues that the legacy of British rule has been a lack of control over industrial expansion, widespread pollution, and poor enforcement of environmental laws. He suggests that judicial commissions have been effective where the scientific evidence is clear and there is a consensus among stakeholders.

This article discusses the development and applications of environmental laws during and after military conflicts. According to the author, environmental law conventions developed in response to the use of herbicides for the defoliation of Vietnam and as a reaction to oil spills in the Gulf Wars. He reviews United Nations efforts to clarify environmental laws during armed conflicts and discusses applications to RAMSAR protected wetlands and other protected areas. He suggests ways in which these existing environmental laws could be strengthened and new laws to protect certain species, dual use facilities, and demilitarized zones during war.

The article discusses various issues related to environmental law and policy. According to the author, one major issue is the lack of interest in environmental justice as a social issue in Germany. German planning and environmental law in many areas tolerates a certain degree of spatial differentiation of environmental quality. Another significant issue is the role of the judiciary and judicial commissions on sustainable development issues in South Asia. There is a weakness of the executive in environmental management that has been matched with a strong intervention by the judiciary in giving primacy to environmental rights. Moreover, there has been progressive development of environmental law in relation to environmental information in Japan.

This article discusses the legal regime present in the Arctic regions to address socio-economic and environmental concerns. According to the author, The Arctic Council which includes representatives of indigenous organization developed from the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy as a regional forum to address sustainable development issues. It is a voluntary body consisting of the eight Arctic States with limited power to make non-binding decisions. The author reviews the threats and challenges facing the Arctic and discusses the consequences of stakeholder positions. He suggests options for possible improvements in the legal regime.

The article focuses on the growing number of courts and tribunals that play a significant role in the progressive development of international environmental law. International courts and tribunals have acted to clarify the meaning and effect of treaty norms, to identify the existence of customary norms of general application, and to establish a central role for environmental concerns in the international legal order. However, there remain areas of international law in which environmental norms are yet to be recognized. For example, the arbitration of disputes relating to foreign investment protection and the environment. This arises due to the convergence of the rapid growth in direct foreign investment and new norms of environmental law adopted at the national and international levels.

The article discusses various issues related to environmental law and policy. Environmental lawyers have been reported to have sided with the administration and economic forces to accept global and regional environmental standards that do not advance environmental protection. Another key issue is the international responsibility and liability for the damages caused by environmental interferences, specifically various aspects of international agreements concerning civil liability. Moreover, one of the more complex issues in international environmental law is the question of the precise legal consequences that can be said to flow from the occurrence of transboundary environmental harm , which calls for state liability.

The article discusses environmental law enforcement in Mexico and ways constitutional entrenchment could mitigate conflicts and poverty in resource-rich African countries. According to the author, environmental law enforcement in Mexico can be very problematic. Laws are inefficient, complicated and incomplete. Officials are not prepared to enforce them so they ignore them because they do not receive enough preparation, skills or training in enforcing them. Meanwhile, to mitigate conflicts and poverty in African countries, the parliament should ensure rigorousness in ensuring accountability and transparency as well as determination of standards for promotion of socio-economic development. These conditions should be entrenched in the national constitution to ensure stability.

The author reflects on the achievement of global agreements for change in the agenda of environmental law. He points out that it is significant to enforce environmental law which is aimed at sustainable development. The three essential aspects significant for change are the key environmental issues that need to be addressed, the strategy to employ in addressing those issues and its presentation to the world community.

The article discusses the United Nations' activities and conventions pertaining to environmental policies and laws. The forums include United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) ninth session of its Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum and Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UNEP's International Conference on Chemicals Management, Convention on Biological Diversity, and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Convention and the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Curitiba, Brazil.

The article discusses the proceedings of the 4th World Water Forum pertaining to the right to good water and sanitation, held in Mexico on March 2006. It ran for a week and consisted of a series of forums. There were informal seminars and official meetings on the right to water which discussed its meaning and consequences. The issue was to make an effective right to improve access to water for millions of people. Delegates in official sessions during side events elected their representatives in a separate forum and exchanged views on this topic.

The article presents selected documents pertaining to environmental policies and laws. The first one discusses the right to water which aims to ensure access to safe water and sanitation. Another focuses on the Biosafety Protocol COP/MOP-3 and the terms of reference on identification requirements of living modified organisms intended for direct use as food or feed and for processing. The last discusses the strategic approach to International Chemicals Management, consisting of the Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management, the Overarching Policy Strategy and the Global Plan of Action.

This article presents the resolutions that addressed different global issues in environmental laws and policies adopted from the 2005 World Summit Outcome conference. This includes: the issues regarding the values and principles of the summit, the developments in different projects that they have launched, the peace and collective security, human rights, the rule of law, Economic & Social Council, Security Council, Human Rights Council, secretariat and management reform, system-wide coherence, and the strengthening of the United Nations.

The article presents several articles related to environmental policy and law published in several journals. The articles include "The Right of Everyone to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health", "Right to Drinking Water and Sanitation" and "International Whaling Commission." The Commission on Human Rights has reaffirmed various resolutions relevant to human rights reflected in article 25, paragraph 1 of the Universal Declaration of human Rights, article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The article presents news and developments relevant to the activities of the United Nations on environmental law and policy compiled as of September 2005. The 2005 World Summit held in September in New York which discussed issues on global threats that require global solutions towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals. The 25th meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer was held in Montreal, Canada which discussed a directive where developed countries must phase out ethyl bromide mostly for pest control in agriculture.

The article presents news and developments relevant to environmental law and policy discussed in the articles "Dneiper River Basin Clean-up and EU Legislation-Comparison of Standards used," by Hannah Hull Naumoff-Dulski and "GMO's: Commission Defeated on Food Beans." Clean-up efforts in the Dneiper River Basin by three countries, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine was evaluated and analyzed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, to assess whether the efforts complied with European Union legislation. It has been discovered that the efforts was in accordance with the United Nations Environment Program's recommendations but some of the standards did not comply with the European Union Directive 91/271/EEC.

The article reports on international developments relevant to environmental law and policy. The International Whaling Commission's 57th annual meeting which was held in June 2005 in Ulsan, Republic of Korea, has focused on issues on anti-whaling and pro-whaling nations. The meeting also discussed issues on conservation and on proposals to lift the 20-year moratorium on commercial whaling. In other news, the Elisabeth Mann Borgese Medal was awarded by the President of the International Ocean Institute to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The article focuses on developments in environmental policy and law including coastal protection in Israel and court recognition of the negative effects of global warming in the United States. In Israel, the Knesset finalized the legislation process of a Law for the Protection of the Coastal Environment which calls for coastal environment protection and for amendments to the existing Planning and Building Law. While the United States District Court for the Northern District of California has approved a global warming lawsuit filed by various environmental groups against the government.

The article presents several articles related to environmental policy and law published in several journals. The articles include "WMO: Priorities for Enhancing the Organization", "Biosafety Protocol: No Agreement on Shipping", "EU-Angola: Fisheries Talks Stall", "UNCTAD: Biofuels Initiative", "Basel Convention: Launch of New Regional Centres", "UNDP: Water Governance Facility at sIWI". The Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organization agreed on institutional and substantive actions to improve the organization's enhanced applications of forecasts and sciecne in the areas of weather, climate and water.

The article presents the selected documents published in the issue of the periodical "Environmental Policy and Law." Efforts to sustain and accelerate progress toward the water access goal, supported by increased resources from all sources in response to countries' needs includes prioritizing water in national development plans and facilitating access to water for all. Emphasis are given in establishing an institutional home for sanitation, prioritizing sanitation in national development plans, and incorporating sanitation in integrated water resources management plans.

The article examines potential sources of liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in the United States. While the Supreme Court recently limited the circumstances in which private parties can use CERCLA to compel or recovery costs to investigate or remediate historic hazardous waste disposal sites, the government has virtually unlimited powers. CERCLA cases are an appropriate analogue for discussing owner and operator liability under almost any cause of action that seeks damages for land pollution.

This article focuses on a comprehensive review of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) for the Sustainable Development of SIDS or small island developing states, which was called for in the 57th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The BPOA sets forth specific actions and measures at the national, regional, and international levels in support of the sustainable development of SIDS. BPOA is a 14-point program that identifies priority areas and specific actions necessary for addressing the special challenges faced by SIDS. Some of the priority areas are: climate change and sea-level rise, natural and environmental disasters, and management of wastes.

This article highlights the award ceremony for the Elizabeth Haub Prize for Environmental Diplomacy on March 8, 2005 in New York. Professor Lee Paddock, Director of Environmental Law programs at Pace University School of Law in Pleasantville, New York, introduced Professor Nicholas Robinson, a member of the Elizabeth Haub Award jury. The history of the Award is being recalled, which honors Elizabeth Haub, the distinguished German environmentalist. And Robinson paid tribute to the strong nature conservation values of Haub.

This article highlights the twenty-third session of the United Nations Environment Programme's Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF), which was convened from February 21-25, 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya. Over 1,000 participants, including 54 of the 58 member States of the GC, attended GC-23/GMEF. The question of how to bolster global, regional and national environments so as to improve the prospects for achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, which cover poverty eradication and safe water supplies to promoting women and conserving wildlife, took center stage.

Looks at regional affairs related to environmental policy and law. Highlights of the achievements and outcomes at the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context; Draft of the fundamental legal documents on water and health; Evaluation of the needs of the public health sector in the fight against water-related diseases.

Discusses various activities of the United Nations related to environmental policy and law. Establishment of international liability for transboundary harm; Historical insight into the United Nations Environment Programme; Adoption of a resolution promoting the right to drinking water and sanitation as an individual and collective human right.

Looks at international developments related to environmental law and policy. Rejection of a proposal that led to a limited resumption of commercial whaling at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission; Development of global standards by the international community to deal with environmental issues; Highlights of the Conference on International Environmental Governance.

Looks at national affairs related to environmental policy and law. Examination of the relevant laws on oil pollution with a view of discovering why the law has been unable to deal effectively with the grave challenge posed by the rising incidence of sabotage of oil facilities in Nigeria; Plan of the State Environmental Protection Administration of China to launch a crackdown action on illegal polluters; Dispute between Canada and the U.S. over a smelter.