Ecological Governance
Reappraising Law's Role in Protecting Ecosystem Functionality

A comprehensive legal analysis of how governance of human activities in developed states should be restructured to improve ecological protection.

Olivia Woolley (Author)

9781107630512, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 November 2016

272 pages
23 x 15 x 1.5 cm, 0.4 kg

'Much of the author's argument is convincing. Given the extent of environmental degradation her vision is a compelling one. The focus on preserving ecosystem functionality and reducing the risks to that functionality from our activities makes much sense as a new activating principle of environmental law, but achieving that in practice and ensuring that such an approach is seen as legitimate is a daunting task, given the dominance of economic values and short-termism in global society.' Mark Poustie, The Edinburgh Law Review

Ecological degradation has been an object of concern for the international community since the early 1970s, but legal approaches that have been employed to improve the protection of ecosystems have failed to halt this decline. Ecological Governance explores how the law should respond to this rapid global deterioration of ecosystems by examining the foundational scientific and ethical considerations for designing laws that are effective for ecological protection. Based on these analyses, it argues that developed states should prioritise the reduction of the ecological stresses for which they are responsible in decision-making on their future courses. The author also proposes structures for governance and associated legal frameworks that would enable the formulation and implementation of policies for ecological sustainability.

1. Introduction
2. Scientific and ethical foundations
3. Ecologically-oriented policy-making
4. Governing an ecological transition
5. Ecological planning
6. Public participation in ecological governance
7. Informing ecological governance.

Subject Areas: Conservation of the environment [RNK], Environment law [LNKJ], International environmental law [LBBP], Law [L]