Examines how the European Union has handled environmental protection issues.
Significant changes in how the world approaches global environmental problems have occurred since the late 1970s. Countries have become increasingly aware of the "borderless" nature of environmental issues, i.e., that production and consumption in one country can spill over to affect another country's environment. Protecting Our Environment considers the successes that have been achieved in the European Union (EU), as well as issues the Union still faces regarding the protection of the environment in the future. Authors Janet R. Hunter and Zachary A. Smith identify the factors that have allowed the EU to form a successful environmental regime, including the development of the environmental management approach and the principles upon which it is based. They examine in detail the challenges that have been encountered in the implementation of environmental programs, and the solutions that have been developed to address those challenges. Also considered is how economic development and environmental protection have been reconciled within the EU. By analyzing the successful example of the EU, Protecting Our Environment provides a model for a contemporary approach to global environmental problems.
"This book provides us with something to use as a comparison for failed US environmental policies. It can be used by virtually anyone regardless of his or her environmental understanding or knowledge of political science. Its use of concrete examples offers a better understanding of the concepts being introduced and shows how the theories are applied in real life." - Jeffrey S. Ashley, coauthor of Negotiated Sovereignty: Working to Improve Tribal-State Relations
"Attention to the EU environmental treatment is becoming a particularly important example of regional cooperation toward sustainability, and this book adds nicely to the discussion." - Peter Jacques, coauthor of Ocean Politics and Policy: A Reference Handbook