Environmental Law: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #536

by Elizabeth Fisher

Environmental law is the law concerned with environmental problems. It is a vast area of law that operates from the local to the global, involving a range of different legal and regulatory techniques. In theory, environmental protection is a no brainer. Few people would actively argue for pollution or environmental destruction. Ensuring a clean environment is ethically desirable, and also sensible from a purely self-interested perspective. Yet, in practice, environmental law is a messy and complex business fraught with conflict. Whilst environmental law is often characterized in overly simplistic terms, with a law being seen as be a simple solution to environmental problems, the reality is that creating and maintaining a body of laws to address and avoid problems is not easy, and involves legislators, courts, regulators and communities.
This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of the main features of environmental law, and discusses how environmental law deals with multiple interests, socio-political conflicts, and the limits of knowledge about the environment. Showing how interdependent societies across the world have developed robust and legitimate bodies of law to address environmental problems, Elizabeth Fisher discusses some of the major issues involved in environmental law's: nation statehood, power, the reframing role of law, the need to ensure real environmental improvements, and environmental justice. As Fisher explains, environmental law is, and will always be, inherently controversial.
ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Law, Nonfiction, Environment, Politics, Nature

176 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Wilde Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made a few interesting points, but overall very dry / academic.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. Fisher's writing is clear and accessible and she is impressively knowledgeable. The book is best when it uses a practical example -- a case/a piece of legislation/a judgment summary -- to make a wider comment on how the law addresses and negotiates the complexity of global environmental problems. Accordingly, chapter 5 on expanding the legal imagination was particularly good. Great bibliography - I will enjoy reading further.

The book struggles at the start and end when describing the problems that the law addresses. Like all authors in this series, Fisher is limited by both the vastness of the topic and the brevity of the form, but there are more engaging ways of circumventing this (see above/see excellent Oxford parking example), than resorting to making long lists of the issues, which occurred a little too often. More diagrams would have been useful for some of the more theoretical points.

Worth observing that it is very public law heavy but this is not a criticism.

[Ibrahim Ozturk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book which discusses a lot of core aspects of environmental law and asks the big questions such as where do we draw the line with navigable waters or if it is okay for a factory to produce more pollution than another, and it really explores the dififculty of drawing the line in a social, political, and economic sense (with regards to environmental issues).

However, I was looking for more of a focus on environmental law than a bit of an introduction to law itself, how the CJEU operates, or history lessons (e.g. on how the EU was formed).

[Ellen Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
I read this to get an idea of what environmental law is and have a better understanding of it. I think Fisher does a great job laying out what it is, modern approaches to the problems that arise from eco-law, and gives the reader a decent call to action at the end. Would recommend if you want to get a broad understanding of environmental law and the challenges it face in the current legal environment! This is focused primarily on US/UK rule of law. She does have mentions of other jurisdictions, but most of her examples stem from those two areas.

[Micah Winters · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice efficient overview of the principles and complications bound up within environmental law. Fisher is English, and though the book largely deals with Anglo-American legal codes, she does offer a helpfully international perspective on things. As with all books in this series, it's hard to pick many holes in the book accomplishing what it sets out for. Nothing revelatory, but highly informative, and stylish enough to be engaging.

[Jacabaeus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good, gives a decent overview of EU and common law concepts of environmental law. An extensive number of citations and recommended readings. Just wish Canadian environmental law was also included.

[Repegiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of legal and political imagination is actually very interesting, it goes back to any social movement that break with the past or move from it. In general, not a legal text of course but enjoyable.

[Rachel Waterhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant synthesis of a complex topic

[Tom Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent overview of the field.

[Holly olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a waste of words but surprisingly pacy considering it said nothing about an already boring subject

[Abi Dalglish · Rating 3 out of 5]

a short intro to environmental law, i loved that it was short chapters and explained from the basics to more advanced concepts!

[Molly Driver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had very interesting info/example- just slightly wishy washy at times

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The legal expert Elizabeth Fisher published Environmental Law: A Very Short Introduction in 2017. The book has a section entitled “References and further reading” (Lowe 129-140). The book has illustrations, including photographs. The book has an index. Fisher defines “environmental law as the law relating to environmental problems” (Fisher 1). Environmental problems tend to be collective (Fisher 1). A common theme in Fisher’s book is that environmental law requires law to be expanded in new ways to incorporate science. Law is related to politics (Fisher 49-50). Environmental issues often require new thinking about politics, so the law is required to adapt to the environment in a new way (Fisher 49-50). I read the book on the Kindle. The last section of Fisher’s book is entitled “The Need for Imagination” (Fisher 128). Fisher hopes her book “maps how interdependent societies across the world develop robust and legitimate bodies of law to address environmental law” (Fisher 3). I would say for a short book that covers a lot of ground; Fisher does her purpose well. As a reader, I felt I came away with a well-done introduction to environmental law. The book has a section on references and an index. Fisher's book is a thoughtful introduction to international law.