Protection of the Earth's climate system from the legal point of view This thesis aims to provide a broad view of legal protection of the Earth's climate within its six chapters. The first three chapters explain drivers of climate change law. Protection of the climate system has stemmed not only from science, but also to a large extent from the political situation and the performance of the world economy. Therefore, after introduction the second chapter examines the scientific basis of climate change and its evolution in time. The third chapter outlines the history of international negotiations which led to the conclusion of the three most important international instruments regulating climate change - the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the EU ETS Directive. The fourth chapter discusses economic approaches to internalization of global warming costs. The core of the thesis analyzes the legal framework addressing climate change. The analysis is devoted to the backbone of international instruments laid down in the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, and to one of the most significant regional instruments - European emission allowances trading. Therefore, the fourth chapter on the Framework Convention on Climate Change examines the Convention...

75 Abstract Criminal liability in environmental protection Presented dissertation deals with a very current topic, which is environmental protection through the criminal law standards. It mostly deals with criminal environmental protection instruments in the Czech Republic and puts them into the international and European context. It describes the conditions of a criminal liability with an emphasis on the criminal liability of the legal persons, a new element in Czech law. A big part of this dissertation is dedicated to the individual environmental crimes, which can be found in the criminal code in a part VIII or in another parts within the special part. Two chapters are dedicated to analysis of the two crimes in detail - Damage and threats of the environment (including its negligent forms) and Animal abuse including the historical development of it. The aim of this dissertation is an analysis of actual and efficient legal regulation.

During the past century, lawyers in New Orleans created a number of organizations to provide legal services for the poor, as lawyers did throughout the country. Most of those organizations provided routine service directly to individual clients and received quiet acceptance within the city and the state. However, more aggressive lawyers in other legal services offices engaged in law reform or challenged politically powerful interests. These offices found themselves embroiled in controversy and facing impediments that were placed in the way of their work. This dissertation introduces nonprofit legal services in New Orleans, but focuses on and investigates the experiences of four organizations – the New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation, the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center, and the Advocacy Center – that were involved in controversies. This investigation differs from most prior studies of legal assistance in several ways. First, it discusses a variety of local legal service organizations rather than concentrating on the legal aid movement of the first half of the twentieth century, or the later Legal Services Program and its successor Legal Services Corporation. Secondly, it provides detailed discussion of several New Orleans legal services, which had previously been limited to scrutiny of the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic. Most importantly, it goes beyond description to provide causal explanation for the controversies by reference to social structure, and the social mechanisms and social processes at work. The dissertation presents access to law by the poor as being a form of "largesse" or charity or gift, which is granted when it is convenient for the powerful, but withheld when it is inconvenient for the powerful. From this perspective, the controversies resulted from the opposing interests of the two major social classes in modern capitalist society, with the politically powerful objecting to certain legal victories or gains achieved by the poor. In addition to the New Orleans cases, the dissertation refers to other legal services offices throughout the country that experienced similar problems. This demonstrates that the underlying issues are not limited to the city of New Orleans or the state of Louisiana, but are national in scope.

thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) in the School of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand / Many countries are under pressure to transition from fossil to renewable sources of energy. This pressure comes from multiple points including sustainable energy and climate change imperatives. The energy industry, especially electricity generation, is the main source of greenhouse gases, hence the significance of reductions in this industry. The purpose of this study was to conduct a legal analysis of the renewable energy law in the context of energy law generally in South Africa, to understand the regulatory function of law in promoting renewable energy. The study analysed government legal and policy positions, and the response by non-state actors to such policy positions and laws. Through a qualitative analysis of primary and secondary sources of law and public participation documents, the study found that; while South Africa is committed to renewable energy, its socio-economic, cultural, and environmental context superimposes other priorities that impede progress towards renewable energy. Several obstacles to renewable energy were identified, some internal to energy law and others external to it, coming from other areas such as environmental law, governance, economics, and behavioural sciences. Analysis at the convergence of environmental and energy law revealed misalignment and fragmentation as major obstacles to renewable energy. While barriers are common across the globe, countries cannot apply the same responses with the same results. Regulatory responses, beyond the traditional ‘command and control’ tools are context specific and tools that have worked, in other countries, may not be as effective in South Africa. Socio-economic dynamics determine the legal responses to the barriers to renewable energy or the efficacy of economic incentives to promote renewable energy. However, overall, law and regulation can, and must, play a crucial enabling role by removing barriers to renewable energy. Nevertheless, there are limits to the use law ‘as regulation.’ Renewables will not replace fossil sources yet; rather in the long-term, renewables should become a big part of the energy mix. Despite gaining price competitiveness, it is too early for renewables to displace conventional fossil sources in a context of entrenched structural and institutional obstacles. Concomitant technical, market, economic, and environmental and resource governance interventions are necessary to effectively promote an energy mix substantially composed of renewables. The study recommends that law should create an enabling regulatory environment for renewable energy. South Africa has not used law effectively enough to create this environment, thereby impeding the integration of renewable energy into its energy mix. Aligning energy and environmental law, among other incentives, can enhance this role of law. Legal reforms are necessary to remove the regulatory advantage afforded to conventional sources of electricity and level the playing field. / MT2017

OF THE DISSERTATION ON "PUBLIC INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW" Zdeněk Horáček, 2011 The dissertation examines public interest in environmental law. Due to the lack of professional resources dealing with the very concept of public interest, the dissertation offers its basic definition and relevant connections, but always in relation to the institutes of the environmental law. Interpretive and historical aspects of public interest are analyzed and basic definition features, classification and process of the formulation of public interest, including correction of the improper process, are established. The dissertation specifies public interest in environmental law as a legally defined value of environmental protection shared by whole society. Such a public interest is promoted in all the phases of evaluation and authorization of a project that may be harmful to the environment, in the extent always depending on the specific situation. The dissertation concludes that environmental protection is a worldwide shared value and public interest. In addition, public interest in environmental protection is a criterion for a decision making process carried out by public authorities, and the resulting public interest (adopted solution) depends on the specific circumstances of the situation.

L’obligation de remise en état est une déclinaison de grands principes et concrétise le droit à l’environnement dans le présent et pour les générations futures. C’est une mesure de police atypique, perméable au phénomène de la contractualisation. Elle est ainsi résolument moderne et transcende la frontière entre droit public et droit privé. Obligation légale d’intérêt général, elle participe à la construction de l’ordre public écologique. Elle peut inspirer de nouvelles actions, et conduire à envisager la reconnaissance d’une obligation générale de remise en état. Le dernier exploitant reste son seul débiteur légal. Or, le constat de grandes difficultés à obtenir la remise en état en cas de liquidation judiciaire est indéniable. En cas de défaillance, le blocage n’est cependant pas total. D’autres obligés peuvent être trouvés dans le groupe de sociétés. Des tiers peuvent aussi être juridiquement tenus par certaines obligations qui participent de la remise en état. Le rôle du propriétaire est incontournable. Ces solutions ont incontestablement le mérite d’exister, mais elles ont pour point commun de n’être que partielles. Ainsi, diverses hypothèses pour une amélioration ont pu être formulées. / The obligation for restoration is an application of general principles and gives concrete expression to the environmental law in the present and for future generations. This is an atypical police measure, sensitive to the phenomenon of contracting. It is thus resolutely modern and transcends the summa divisio between public and private law. As a legal obligation of general interest, it contributes to the construction of ecological public order. It may inspire new actions and lead to considering the recognition of a general obligation for restoration. The last operator remains its sole legal debtor. However, one cannot deny that it is very difficult to obtain restoration in the event of winding up by decision of the court. In case of failure, the blocking situation is however not total. Others indebted may be found in the group of companies. Third parties may also be legally bound by certain obligations that contribute to the restoration. The owner has a key role to play. These solutions undoubtedly have the merit of existing, but they all have in common that they are only partial. Thus, various hypotheses for improvement have been made.

Investigação acerca efetividade de um dos instrumentos da Política Nacional do Meio Ambiente brasileira, que é o da garantia da prestação de informações relativas ao ambiente e da obrigação do Poder Público em produzi-las, quando inexistentes (Lei federal nº 6.938, de 31 de agosto de 1981, artigo 9º, inciso XI). A pesquisa teve como foco o problema da abrangência e eficácia das estruturas normativas e políticas existentes para efetivação desse instrumento. Em se tratando das estruturas normativas, destacam-se além do estabelecido pela Constituição Federal brasileira, os dispositivos da Lei federal nº 10.650, de 16 de abril de 2003, acerca do acesso público aos dados e informações ambientais existentes nos órgãos e entidades integrantes do Sistema Nacional do Meio Ambiente. Para tanto se propôs investigar o que é abrangível nas informações ambientais relacionadas ao instrumento da Política Nacional do Meio Ambiente e sua efetividade no contexto da aplicabilidade do instrumento em estudo da Política Nacional do Meio Ambiente e o que foi efetivamente regulado pela Lei nº 10.650/2003. Entretanto, buscou verificar a possibilidade de não confirmação da hipótese de que o instrumento em foco não carece de mais regramento para sua aplicação em relação aos demais instrumentos. Partindo-se do pressuposto de ser este efetivamente um instrumento concomitante em relação aos demais. Como referenciais teóricos estão alguns princípios do direito constitucional e do direito ambiental, particularmente, os princípios da publicidade e da informação. Assim foram considerados os diversos fundamentos políticos e jurídicos para operação do instrumento estudado, associado que está a direitos e garantias fundamentais implicados, devem ser considerados na perspectiva constitucional. Para avaliar a efetividade da garantia da prestação de informações relativas ao meio ambiente, a que está obrigado o Poder Público a produzi-las, quando inexistentes, foi realizado o estudo de sua hipotética aplicação nos termos vigentes relativamente aos demais instrumentos de política ambiental brasileira de abrangência nacional. / Research concerning the effectiveness of one of the instruments of the Brazilian Environmental National Policy, that is the warranty of rendering the environmental information and the obligation of the authorities in producing them when they nonexistent (federal Law 6.938, of August 31, 1981, article 9th, XI). This research had as focus the problem of the embrace and efficacy of the existent normative and political structures for effectiveness of that instrument. The normative structures are that established by the Brazilian Federal Constitution, the federal Law 10.650, of April 16, 2003, concerning the public access to existing environmental information in the agencies of the Environmental National System. This research intended to investigate the embraceable of the environmental information related to the instrument of the Environmental National Policy. Adding to that, investigate the effectiveness of the studied instrument of Environmental National Policy in the context of this applicability and what was in fact regulated by the Law 10.650/2003. Another point was verifying the possibility of non confirmation of the hypothesis that the instrument in focus does not need more regulation for its application in relation to other instruments. This research assumes that the instrument is concomitant in relation to the others instruments of Environmental National Policy. As theoretical references have some principles of the constitutional right and of the environmental law, particularly, the principle of the publicity and principle of the information. As the several political and juridical bases were considered for the use of the studied instrument, associated to the fundamental rights and warranties, the research considered the constitutional perspective. To evaluate the effectiveness of the warranty of rendering environmental information, which the authorities are obliged to produce when they nonexistent, the study of its hypothetical application related to effectiveness of the other Environmental National Policy instruments was did.

Com a constatação de que a ocupação irregular em área de proteção aos mananciais cresceu e se consolidou nos últimos anos, o estudo AÇÃO CIVIL PÚBLICA E AJUSTAMENTO DE CONDUTA EM ÁREA DE PROTEÇÃO AOS MANANCIAIS NA REGIÃO METROPOLITANA DE SÃO PAULO trata do conflito representado pela presença de assentamentos urbanos em áreas de proteção a mananciais e do tratamento jurídico e urbanístico que lhes vem sendo dado. Foram selecionados e analisados loteamentos em Área de Proteção aos Mananciais localizados nos Municípios de São Bernardo do Campo, Santo André, Diadema e Mauá. Tais loteamentos foram objeto de Ação Civil Pública e Termo de Ajustamento de Conduta. Essa análise foi contextualizada com a caracterização do momento pelo qual vem passando o sistema jurídico e a sociedade na modernidade e ainda, sobre pontos importantes para a compreensão dos institutos estudados: o funcionamento do Poder Judiciário, o surgimento das demandas de massa, a atuação do Ministério Público do Estado de São Paulo e do Poder Executivo, a efetividade da Ação Civil Pública e do Ajustamento de Conduta para a tutela dos interesses transindividuais. Buscou-se compreender possibilidades de interação entre o propósito jurídico e a prática espacial. Avaliou-se o impacto produzido na cidade, em sua materialidade ambiental e social, por cada um desses dois distintos que representam atitudes diversas perante a aplicação da lei. Enquanto a Ação Civil Pública se estabelece rigidamente nos termos da lei, o Termo de Ajustamento de Conduta pressupõe o acordo e a cooperação, a redução de danos e que os objetivos da lei sejam atendidos progressivamente. As conclusões e considerações poderão, assim, contribuir não só para o debate sobre a necessidade de aprimoramento da regulamentação das áreas de proteção aos mananciais, mas para uma melhor compreensão das relações entre sociedade e ambiente, entre direito à moradia e ao meio ambiente, e entre a realidade social e o Sistema Judiciário. / Due to the growth and subsequent consolidation of irregular ocupation of the protected area of mananciais, this study, named Ação Civil Pública and Ajustamento de Conduta in the protected area of mananciais of the metropolitan region of São Paulo is about the conflicts represented by the presence of urban settlements in the protected area of mananciais, and the judicial and urbanistic treatment that is being dispensed to these settlements. We chose to analyze settlements in the Protected Area of Mananciais located at the Municípios of São Bernardo do Campo, Santo André, Diadema e Mauá. These settlements were the object of Ação Civil Pública and Termo de Ajustamento de Conduta This analysis was contextualized by the characterization of the moment through which the modern society and the judicial system are passing, and also by important topics to the comprehension of the institutions studied here: the functioning of Judiciary the rise of the mass demands, the acting of the Ministério Público of the State of SãoPaulo and the Executive, the effectiveness of the Ação Civil Pública and the Ajustamento de Conduta for the tutela of the transindividual interests. We tried to comprehend the possibilities of interaction between the legal goal and the spacial uses. We analyzed the impacts in the environmental and social aspects of the cities caused by these two institutes which represent different attitudes before the application of law. While the Ação Civil Pública stablishes itself strictly in the terms of law, the Termo de Ajustamento de Conduta requires the agree and cooperation of the parties, the reduction of damages and the progressive accomplishment of the objectives of the law. The conclusions and considerations shall contribute not solely for the discussion on the necessity of development of the regulamentation of the protected area of mananciais, but also to for a better comprehension of the relations between society and environment, social reality and the Judiciary System.

Esta dissertação de mestrado tem como objetivo principal avaliar a participação pública em um caso de gestão de área contaminada no Estado de São Paulo. Para a busca do foco no desenvolvimento desta pesquisa, foram consideradas as três bases de sustentação da Convenção de Aarhus: o acesso à informação, a participação no processo decisório e o acesso à justiça. Esta Convenção foi escolhida por constituir um conjunto consistente de conceitos e recomendações sobre a participação pública em questões socioambientais. É conceituada a Convenção de Aarhus e são discutidos os preceitos das documentações desse acordo internacional, fazendo comparações com alguns autores. Para atender aos objetivos dessa dissertação, é aplicada uma metodologia de estudo de caso, avaliando e verificando se esta participação atende aos preceitos da Convenção, por meio de análise qualitativa. A pesquisa foi realizada por meio de entrevistas individuais com atores envolvidos no caso da Shell Vila Carioca: população do entorno da empresa, técnicos do sistema ambiental e da saúde, representantes do sistema jurídico, médico, jornalista, vereador, representante do terceiro setor e representante da empresa Shell. Foi realizado um paralelo do caso estudado no Brasil com Woburn, o caso de áreas contaminadas nos Estados Unidos que também teve grande repercussão na mídia. Os resultados mostraram as diferentes visões e expectativas de cada ator para o caso. Entre outros aspectos, conclui-se que a população não foi informada adequadamente pelos órgãos públicos, que a participação da população neste caso ainda está se iniciando e que existem mecanismos judiciais para o acesso à justiça, embora a maioria da população não os conheça. Como sugestão, a autora propõe a inserção da participação pública nas etapas do Projeto de Lei de Proteção da Qualidade do Solo e Gerenciamento de Áreas Contaminadas / The objective of this work is to evaluate the participation of the public at a contaminated site case in the State of São Paulo. The basis for the analysis was the three pillars established by the Aarhus Convention (right to access information, right of the public participation and right to access the justice). This tree pillar scheme is a consistent array of concepts regarding the public participation process in environmental matters. The concepts of the Convention were discussed under the view of several authors. To evaluate in the real world the use of the concepts of the CONVENTION a case study were performed: Vila Carioca Contaminated Site in the City of São Paulo. The methodology used were interviews with all main actors involved as local population, environmental state officials, journalist, public attorneys, NGO people, city council members and ,industry representative. The interviews were conducted in person. The results showed the different views and expectations about the problem for each actor, which was very interesting to understand how the conflicts can start. In order to compare the public participation in other country a The Woburn Case in USA was reviewed. The main findings were: that the public participation is far from the proposed by the Convention, mainly regarding access to information and public participation. Regarding the access to justice, even though the Brazilian Justice be slow and costly, the points required by the Convention do exist. As a result of the findings the author proposed a suggestion of items introducing participation of the public to be inserted in a Law Project regarding Management of Contaminated Sites, in discussion nowadays at the São Paulo State Congress

Ecological law is a legal paradigm that is emerging in response to the current ecological crisis. This thesis explores the main challenges and opportunities in existing laws, particularly in the context of mining, for a shift to this new paradigm. A synthesis of the main critiques, scientific and economic concepts, legal scholarship and proposals that contribute to the theory of ecological law is presented, along with a discussion of the relationship and potential synergies of ecological law with Indigenous legal traditions and with Green Legal Theory. An analytical tool to help improve the understanding of what a shift to ecological law would entail–a lens of ecological law–is proposed, building on ecological law scholarship. The lens of ecological law consists of three principles of ecological law: ecocentrism, ecological primacy and ecological justice. This lens is applied to three different legal approaches to mining in order to reflect on the implications for a shift to ecological law in this sector: El Salvador’s ban on metal mining; mineral extraction proposed in Ontario’s Ring of Fire; and mining in the context of the rights of Mother Earth and vivir bien recognized in Bolivian law. Conclusions on the obstacles and opportunities for a shift to ecological law in mining, and recommendations on the ecological law re-formation of mining and on further research are offered in closing. Ecological law promises to be an important part of building an ecologically just society.