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Mr. Smith Goes To Nairobi: The Unwritten Role Of Local Actors Within International Environmental Law, Caleb W. Christopher

Caleb W Christopher

This article first describes the existing participatory landscape of international environmental law. Local or regional governments, under a traditional federal model of domestic environmental law, are often responsible for undertaking some degree of discretionary enforcement of national policy. In addition, a variety of other tools, including citizen suits, public hearings and rulemaking comment, afford local communities with some degree of direct participation. However, under traditional international law, local communities often lack meaningful participatory mechanisms. Local government’s role includes very limited regulatory abilities and international business solicitation. Local communities may have a limited role during public comment periods of environmental impact …