Week #12 part #2: Future of Environmental Law

Question 1

How are environmental matters reflected in pilitics and ideology in States?

Answer 1

• At the most general level, environmental policies and laws are reflected by society’s collective decision to pursue certain environmental goals and objectives and to use particular means to achieve them;
• In a democratic society with a multi-party system, there will be variances in the level of importance attributed to the environment;
• The level of importance that the public will place on the environment will influence the environmental narrative in Canada – Social Licence;
• Common themes: global warming, green energy, fossil fuels, etc.

Question 2

How does carbon trading work?

Answer 2

Corporations that dont use up all the carbon they are allowed to emit can sell these unused portions to companies that pollute more.

Question 3

How do economis incentives work in the environmental field?

Answer 3

• Economic incentives will continue to be used as a means to ensure environmental compliance;
• Approaches using cap and trade, emissions fees, and non-taxation instruments (and tax credits) will be employed provincially and federally;.
• Governments tend to favor economic incentives on the theory that they are more efficient and effective;
• Economic approaches can not work in every situatio —controlling highly toxic materials;
• Most economic incentives require elements of the regulatory approach, such as standardsetting;

Question 4

How does Universal integration work?

Answer 4

• The Canadian approach to environmental regulation has been described as fragmented and duplicative. Integration would be reuniting the different layers of administrative control into one to make it simpler.
• Different levels of jurisdiction: Municipal, Provincial and Federal;
• There are a multitude of the agencies, departments, boards and tribunals that focuses on their respective governing legislation and proceed largely as if the other institutions do not exist;.
• Internal integration applies to the relationship among the environmental agencies. External integration applies to the relationship between the environmental agencies and the non-environmental agencies outside the federal context.
• Special Environmental Courts and tribunals;
• Expansion of the powers – Environmental Commissioner.

Question 5

How would mandatory labeling help work protecting the environment?

Answer 5

• Any environmental regulatory system depends heavily on information supplied by the regulated entity. Mandatory labeling help these agencies control the different products.
• Genetically modified fish, aquaculture… letting the consumers know helps them make better choices
• Reports on the use of drugs and pesticides.

Question 6

What does the Adjusting to Internalization slide talk about?

Answer 6

• The world has become increasingly interconnected both politically and economically.
• Although it has always been interconnected environmentally, now global environmental problems are being recognized.
• This will have a significant impact on internationally traded products – diary, fish, cattle and products;
• Significant impact on the emissions;
• Complex regulations governing countries and Unions will increase the need for future treaties and international agreements.