Benidickson, Jamie; Boer, Ben; Benjamin, Antonio Herman; Morrow, Karen --- "Introduction: Environmental Law and Sustainability after Rio" [2011] ELECD 640; in Benidickson, Jamie; Boer, Ben; Benjamin, Herman Antonio; Morrow, Karen (eds), "Environmental Law and Sustainability after Rio" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Environmental Law and Sustainability after Rio

Editor(s): Benidickson, Jamie; Boer, Ben; Benjamin, Herman Antonio; Morrow, Karen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9780857932242

Section: Chapter 1

Section Title: Introduction: Environmental Law and Sustainability after Rio

Author(s): Benidickson, Jamie; Boer, Ben; Benjamin, Antonio Herman; Morrow, Karen

Number of pages: 6

Extract:

1. Introduction: environmental law and
sustainability after Rio
Jamie Benidickson, Ben Boer, Antonio
Herman Benjamin and Karen Morrow

The fields of environmental and sustainability law, despite strong historical
roots and antecedents, are by no means fully elaborated and mature fields of
scholarship and professional practice. It is possible, nonetheless, to identify
landmarks or milestones in their development and to reflect upon the
significance of what has been put in place. The 1992 United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, commonly
referred to as the Earth Summit, and the adoption of Agenda 21 and the Rio
Declaration on Environment and Development clearly represent one such
landmark.
It is appropriate, particularly in the field of environmental law, both to
commemorate past achievements as well as to take a realistic view of their
shortcomings. In recognising achievements, we are able to celebrate and
express appreciation for the very significant accomplishments of an earlier
generation of researchers, advocates, negotiators and practitioners. The
success of their efforts to safeguard the environment gives us hope, an
outlook that is not always in good supply. On the other hand, the process of
assessment necessarily invites reflection on the shortcomings and limitations
of our current situation and encourages a salutary reminder that much
remains to be done to secure the foundations of environmental protection and
sustainability on a global, national and local basis.
The fifteenth anniversary in 2007 of the Rio conference provided a
sufficient temporal perspective to attempt the undertaking of an assessment
...