Search

This article is an evaluation of the status of harmonisation with regard to Turkey's sustainable development policies in the EU accession process. This evaluation has been performed within the framework of the legal obligations that Turkey has assumed in this regard as member of the international community. This assessment of compliance with these obligations at the national level has been carried out in the context of legally binding documents like the constitution, laws and development plans, as well as with national policy documents like the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan and National Agenda 21. An examination of Turkey's efforts to comply with EU policies, progress reports and the accession partnership document that outlines EU's expectations and the commitments in the national program that Turkey has prepared for this purpose reveals that the issue of environmental harmonisation has been designated as a priority policy area. However, it is clear that Turkey has made no progress with regard to compliance with sustainable development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 focuses on the ecology of global economic power and the role of changing investment practices to promote environmental sustainability. The power of global corporate capital and the power of major cities representing destructive forces was examined and considered as sources of solutions. The seventh goal of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals is to ensure environmental sustainability. Such goal aims to integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources. It was said that markets are important institutional components in developed and developing economies. They are seen as enabling sustainable development in poorer countries, as they can mobilize forces and capital that greatly surpass foreign aid.

The history of environmental policy in Hungary still seems to bear the marks of the Communist past. Till 1989, the environment came under consideration in planning only as a sectorial policy and was seen only in terms of nature conservation. The central government and bureaucracy, in charge of policy-making, were rather unwilling to regulate pollution and environmental hazards. By the late 1980s, environmentalist movements were objecting to this situation and challenging the declining regime. Despite its obvious willingness to break with the Communist past, Hungary has still not fully erased all traces of previous political and institutional practices. Environmental policy is still technocratic and centralized. Official institutions are struggling to apply European environmental standards based on sustainable development and local initiatives precisely because the latter are lacking. The Communist era's main legacy seems to be the lack of democratic participation at the local level in environmental (or other) matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article confronts present main stream planning approaches against the perspective of ecological sustainability, as relevant for Rule of Law countries and based on a modern environmental law approach. It discusses the setting and implementation of environmental goals against the general experience of massive implementation deficits regarding environmental policies all over the world. In this confrontation, environmental planning, with at least some principles picked up from New Zealand's Resource Management Act, and much more taken from modern environmental law theory on legal operationalisation, is compared to adaptive management approaches which also allow for modifying the environment related goal if implementation fails or seems very difficult. The concept of adaptive environmental planning (AEP) is suggested as a possible road to choose for planning for sustainability, while maximizing development within the framework legally defined by means of environmental limits. This article presents five criteria, all of which must be met by AEP planning. One of these relates to a planning hierarchy which, among other things, leads to the conclusion that coastal planning, if it is intended to aim at sustainability, can not be dealt with in isolation, although such planning might have to meet very complex problems at the regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1994, the Secretary General of the United Nations said that, "without protection of the environment, the basis of human survival will be eroded." Time has shown that the principles of "sustainable development" alone will not be sufficient to protect the environment. Time has shown that the interest that present and future generations have in the environment need to be rooted in positive law. The argument is that the human right to a good environment provides a cost effective, forward thinking and practical method of dealing with environmental problems. The first step in its introduction would be for the right to be recognised formally on an international level. The second step would be the introduction of appropriate legal mechanisms and regulations that govern decision making on a day to day basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the evolution of Korea's environmental policy from the 1960s to the early 2000s from a sustainability perspective. Enactment of the first environmental law; Failure of the government to meet the surging public demand for a clean environmental; Generation of a large disparity between the stated policy objectives and the actual achievements.

The current environmental crisis calls for a sustainable style of development and draws attention to a new ecological dimension in social life that poses hitherto unforeseen challenges to the social sciences and to the everyday concerns of citizens, governments and private interests. Consequently, it is appropriate to attempt a critical overview of governance issues around the formation and implementation of environmental policies designed under the framework of sustainable development. After a brief introduction on how global perceptions about sustainable development have evolved, this article subsequently focuses attention on the main thrust of the emerging international environmental regime, and the multilateral environmental treaties embodied in it. Specific governance issues pertaining to environmental policies are also critically reviewed, particularly interrelations with the trade regime. The article concludes by spelling out some comments on research issues for the future, with a view to charting the environmental governance agenda lying ahead of us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information pertaining to environmental issues in the European Union. Potential danger posed by fertilizers to human, animal health and environment; Environmental laws intended to regulate halons, chlorofluorocarbons and bromochloromethane.

Reports on developments relevant to environmental policy and law in Europe as of April 2004. European Landscape Convention entered into force; Right to water as an enforceable right; Polycentric environmental governance towards stability and sustainable development.

This contribution focuses on the limits of European Union programmes and accession practices on environmental policies and performance in Central and Eastern Europe. In particular, we document some of the ways in which state socialist and post-socialist environmental conditions, practices and policies are shaping, and in turn being shaped by, the path of accession and integration. We focus on the diverse and changing patterns of air, water and soil quality in Central and Eastern Europe, the contested nature of new environmental policies, the environmental consequences of economic change, and the sustainability of emerging environmental regimes. The contribution concludes with several questions about the consequences of new state membership for future EU environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution assesses the impact of market liberalisation on the sustainability of the transformation in ten Central and East European countries (CEE10). Although a significant body of literature assesses economic and social consequences of the transformation, there are limited numbers of investigations that examine the impact of liberalisation on the environment. For CEE countries, assessing environmental effects of structural change in the economy, rising personal consumption, rapid transition to market-oriented economies, and dramatically increased liberalisation is critical. Equally important is assessing the outcomes of environmental and other policy and institutional reforms. To assess these changes, a set of sustainability indicators is used to estimate an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and sustainability trends. The EKC concept assumes that environmental pressure rises initially with an increase in income but declines beyond some estimated level or 'turning point'. The question is how market liberalisation has affected this observed relationship. This study demonstrates the progress of the CEE10, relative to other CEE and new independent states (NIS), and how much progress is still needed to secure more sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article develops a practical proposal for progress on sustainable development law. It examines the prospects for an international sustainable development law to provide a framework for more effective, coherent governance. Sustainable development law is briefly defined and an analytical framework is provided. Different degrees of integration between economic, social and environmental law are described. Certain principles of international law related to sustainable development are also highlighted. It is argued that these principles may serve to guide law-makers and jurists where social, economic and environmental law and policy conflict or overlap. Continuing, underlying questions of sustainable development governance are addressed and its global frameworks analysed. The article also focuses on the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg in August-September 2002, and its specific mandate for the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) to take related legal developments into account. The article advances a proposal: that governments, economic, social and environmental intergovernmental organizations and other actors establish a ‘network of inquiry’ with members from relevant groups, including legal and academic organizations, and other expert groups, in order to follow, research, analyse and debate legal developments in a balanced way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental assessment has long been held to be a key tool in achieving one of the cornerstones of European Community environmental policy, that of environmental integration. However, it has taken the best part of 30 years to get to the point of implementation of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive, due in 2004. Securing legislation for environmental assessment at strategic decision levels as well as project level EIA has been a symbolic milestone for environmentalists. This paper explores the background to the SEA Directive and analyses in detail its key requirements and implications for implementation. The paper also examines the relationship between the SEA Directive and the changing policy context over the period of its long gestation. It concludes that the SEA Directive has arrived at an opportune time to reinvigorate the environmental integration agenda, currently beleaguered by the much stronger social and economic agenda dominant in current EU conceptions of sustainable development. While there has been positive formalisation and strengthening of EU environmental policy over the past 30 years, arguably there has been inadequate real change in terms of the effective integration of the environment into decision-making on the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks at the provisions in the South African Constitution as they might apply to the transition to sustainability, and also examines the formation and qualities of the 1998 National Environmental Management Act. Relationship between implementive politics and transformation politics; Environmental policy. INSETS: EIA and IEM.;CONNEP and the National Environmental Policy..

UNEP- Resolutions 168Commission on Sustainable Development- Keynote Address (Al Gore) 183UN/ECE- Lucerne Declaration 185- Lucerne Conference - Conclusions from the Questionnaire regarding seven environmental conventions 187 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ECOSOC- Full Participation by the European Community in the Commission on Sustainable Development 77EU- The Environment Ministers of the EU States and States of Central and Eastern Europe - Conclusions 77WHO- Helsinki Declaration 78Ozone Protocol- Meeting of the Parties - Decisions 81 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the historical development of forestry environmental policy and law in relation to sustainable development concepts. The author reviews the origins of the principle of sustained yield and provides profiles and key source references for its original proponents. According to him, early forest conservation policy was dominated by the need to provide sufficient lumber for naval fleets. He traces the development of the legal forestry framework and shows how the legal architects influenced the applications of the precautionary principle.

This article discusses the relation of clean energy and sustainable development. There has been an international consensus that energy is essential to achieving the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development. But experience has shown that the kind of energy and the way it is used are important determinants of the degree of sustainability achieved. And continuing along the current path of energy development is not only incompatible with sustainable development objectives but also means that the world's vulnerability to supply disruptions will increase as international trade and competition expand.

The article offers updates related to global environmental policy and law. One update refers to an informal meeting of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Committee on Trade and Environment Special Session for further negotiations on Environmental Goods and Services. Another update mentions the workshop on forest governance for Latin American and Caribbean countries. Moreover, other updates concerning sustainable development are also discussed.

This article presents the conclusions and recommendations of the Round Table Dialogue on Advancing the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) through the Rule of Law, held at the United Nations Environment Programme Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya on February 16-17, 2005. It is recognized that the implementation of a number of the elements of Montevideo Programme III have a direct impact on the fulfillment of the MDG, in particular MDG 7, ensuring environmental sustainability. Furthermore, it is acknowledged that the fulfillment of MDG 7 is intertwined with the achievement of the other Goals and Targets, and especially MDG 1, poverty alleviation.

This article presents a declaration from the participants in the International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held at Port Louis, Mauritius, from January 10-14, 2005. The representatives reaffirm the continued validity of the Barbados Programme of Action as the blueprint providing the fundamental framework for the sustainable development of small island developing states. And they further reaffirm their commitment to the Principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including environmental law, environmental policy and sustainable development.

The article offers information about the Karl Schmitz-Scholl Fund for Environmental Law and Policy and the Elizabeth Haub Foundation for Environmental Law and Policy in the U.S. The Karl Schmitz-Scholl Fund for Environmental Law and Policy was founded in 1968 by Elizabeth Haub in honor of her father's 100th birthday. The Elizabeth Haub Foundation (US) was established by Helga Haub in 1981 and its sister organization opened in Canada in 1996. Both organizations work in conjunction with international and national organizations throughout the world, such as The International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL) and The IUCN-Environmental Law Programme (IUCN-ELP). They are also involved in the drafting of nearly all legally binding treaties on the environment and sustainable development.

The article reports on the proposal of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to set up a permitting system and environmental regulations to help expand fish farming into offshore waters. NOAA also has suggested to require studies on how to make the farms more ecologically sustainable. It has been noted that a bill, containing similar provisions that was passed in 2005, had faced tough opposition on environmental issues in Congress. In addition, NOAA Fisheries Service Director William Hogarth says that this new proposal has included calls for monitoring of disease and fish escape and required an assessment of economic impact on fishing communities.

The article focuses on the Environment Protection Act passed by the Legislative Council in Victoria. The bill will aim to redirect the Victorian environmental management towards greater concentration on sustainability and will help deliver the government's aspirations for sustainable state. The purpose of the Environment Protection Act include modernizing the licensing provisions in the Act by providing amalgamation licenses for multiple premises, establishment of metropolitan local government's waste forum that consists of representatives from metropolitan councils, and allowing translation of national environment protection measure into regulation with or without modification.

The author discusses the first session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). Topics discussed by the author include the hard of the team under the commission's chairman and vice-chairmen's leadership, consensus between the environment minister and high officials, and the personal involvement of chairman Klaus Töpfer in environmental policy and law.