Local Climate Change Law: Environmental Regulation in Cities and Other Localities

by Benjamin J. Richardson (Editor)

Overview

'This book is a useful addition to our literature on climate change law, with its focus on climate change at the local level. It examines how local governments, municipalities and city authorities address climate change through law and policy, and the problems/constraints faced in mitigation and adaptation at the local level. The 15 contributors have thoughtfully and critically analysed the issues from intellectual as well as practical perspectives, drawing on the experiences of North America as well as the EU, China, Australia and South Africa. The reader is left with deeper insights and suggestions for the way forward.'
- Irene Lin Heng Lye, National University of Singapore

'This volume offers a thorough exploration of the challenges and opportunities for local governments in many parts of the world to mitigate and adapt to climate change.'
- Laura Watchmann, LEED AP-ND, Executive Director, NALGEP

'As the international climate consensus is fading, the focus has shifted from the global to the local. This book is timely and ground-breaking as it frames a new subject of legal study and proves the dramatic surge of local climate action. A must-read.'
- Klaus Bosselmann, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Local Climate Change Law examines the role of local government, especially within cities, in addressing climate change through legal, policy, planning and other tools.

This timely study offers a multi-jurisdictional perspective, featuring international contributors who examine both theoretical and practical dimensions of how localities are addressing climate mitigation and adaptation in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, South Africa and the United States, as well as considering the place of localities in global climate law agreements and transnational networks.

Written from a multi-disciplinary perspective, this book will appeal to academics, post graduate and undergraduate students in law and political science, local and national government policy makers and politicians, as well as practising local government lawyers. Anyone with a general interest in environmental issues will also find much to interest them in this insightful study.

Contributors: M. Doelle, A. du Plessis, L. Godden, J. Lin, J. Moore, K.B. Munroe, H.M. Osofsky, S. Pasternack, M. Peeters, M. Powers, B.J. Richardson, E. Schwartz, S. Theriault, K. Thompson, S. Wood

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780857937476
Publisher:	Edward Elgar Publishing
Publication date:	09/30/2012
Series:	The IUCN Academy of Environmental Law series
Pages:	424
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Edited by Benjamin J. Richardson, Professor of Environmental Law, Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania, Australia

Table of Contents

Contents:

Preface
Willemien du Plessis and Melissa Powers

PART I: FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL CLIMATE CHANGE LAW
1. Local Climate Change Law
Benjamin J. Richardson

2. Transnational Voluntary Climate Change Initiatives for Local Governments: Key Variables, Drivers and Likely Effects
Stepan Wood and Kevin Thompson

PART II: LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION IN NORTH AMERICA
3. Local Climate Change Law and Multi-level Governance in North America
Scott Pasternack

4. Suburban Climate Change Efforts in Minnesota: Implications for Multi-level Mitigation Strategies
Hari M. Osofsky

5. US Municipal Climate Plans: What Role Will Cities Play in Climate Change Mitigation?
Melissa Powers

6. Local Solutions to a Global Problem? Climate Change Policy-making in Vancouver
Elizabeth Schwartz

7. Climate Governance at the Municipal Level in Canada: A Case Study of Mitigation Efforts in Halifax
Meinhard Doelle and Kaija Belfry Munroe

8. Measuring Climate Action in Vancouver: Comparing a City’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Protocol to the Inventory of Consumption
Jennie Moore

9. Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change Policies: A Comparative Assessment of Indigenous Governance Models in Canada
Sophie Thériault

PART III: LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
10. Local Climate Action in the European Union
Marjan Peeters

11. Climate Governance in China: Using the ‘Iron Hand’
Jolene Lin

12. Legal Frameworks for Local Adaptation in Australia: The Role of Local Government in Water Governance in a Climate Change Era
Lee Godden

13. Climate Governance in South African Municipalities: Opportunities and Obstacles for Local Government
Anél du Plessis

Index

Editorial Reviews

Overall, Local Climate Change Law provides an in-depth analysis of the benefits and difficulties of local climate change regulation and is an important reference work for students, lawyers, policy practitioners, and government officials. —Catherine Foley, Climate Law

From the Publisher

‘This book is a useful addition to our literature on climate change law, with its focus on climate change at the local level. It examines how local governments, municipalities and city authorities address climate change through law and policy, and the problems/constraints faced in mitigation and adaptation at the local level. The 15 contributors have thoughtfully and critically analysed the issues from intellectual as well as practical perspectives, drawing on the experiences of North America as well as the EU, China, Australia and South Africa. The reader is left with deeper insights and suggestions for the way forward.’

Irene Lin Heng Lye

‘This volume offers a thorough exploration of the challenges and opportunities for local governments in many parts of the world to mitigate and adapt to climate change.’

Laura Watchmann

‘As the international climate consensus is fading, the focus has shifted from the global to the local. This book is timely and ground-breaking as it frames a new subject of legal study and proves the dramatic surge of local climate action. A must-read.’

Klaus Bosselmann

‘Overall, Local Climate Change Law provides an in-depth analysis of the benefits and difficulties of local climate change regulation and is an important reference work for students, lawyers, policy practitioners, and government officials.’

Catherine Foley