Environmental Law Commons^™

A Gulf United: Canada-Us Transboundary Marine Ecosystem-Based Governance In The Gulf Of Maine, Lawrence Hildebrand, Aldo Chircop

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

In 1989, the Northeastern states of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire in the United States and the neighboring Canadian Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia embarked upon a new form of regional marine environmental cooperation when their governors and premiers adopted the Agreement on Conservation of the Marine Environment of the Gulf of Maine Between the Governments of the Bordering States and Provinces.

A Comment On Watersheds: Runoff From The Tax Code, Kim Brooks

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The role of tax as an instrument of social and economic policy has recently come to the fore in debates about the environment. This paper provides a short comment on a paper authored by Janet Milne that explores the incentive effects of the tax code on watershed protection.

The Legacy Of The Climate Talks In Copenhagen: Hopenhagen Or Brokenhagen?, Meinhard Doelle

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This article explores the implications of the Copenhagen climate talks in December 2009 for the future of the international climate change regime.

Early Experience With The Kyoto Compliance System: Possible Lessons For Mea Compliance System Design, Meinhard Doelle, Meinhard Doelle

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Regardless of the future of the Kyoto compliance system, much of its work will continue to be important both for the climate change regime and for other MEAs. While it is impossible to make accurate predictions about the substance of the climate change regime after 2012, it is nevertheless important to reflect on the experience with the Kyoto compliance system to date for MEA compliance generally. Adjustments to the Kyoto compliance system necessitated by post 2012 changes to the substantive obligations can, of course, only be considered once those changes are known. The central question posed in this article is …

The Gulf Of Maine Boundary Dispute And Transboundary Management Challenges: Lessons To Be Learned, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

One might be cynical about the usefulness of trying to draw legal guidance from a judicial determination of a United States-Canada dispute admitted by the judges themselves to be geographically unique. As stated by the majority of the judges in the Case Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary in the Gulf of Maine Area (Gulf of Maine Case) decision:

"Although the practice is still rather sparse, owing to the relative newness of the question, it too is there to demonstrate that each specific case is, in the final analysis, different from all the others, that it is monotypic and that, …

The Copenhagen Climate Talks: The End Of The Road For The Unfcc Or A Step Forward In The Evolution Of The Regime, Meinhard Doelle

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This paper offers an overview of the key outcomes of the 2009 climate negotiations in Copenhagen and consider their implications for the evolution of the UN Climate Regime.

A New Governance Approach To Designing An Effective Arrangement For The Sustainable Management Of Renewable Marine Resources In The Eastern Caribbean States, Kerith Tristan Kentish

LLM Theses

The study's main purpose is to propose a governance framework that meets the priority of sustainable development for the regulation of offshore renewable resources in the OECS region. The study develops an analytical framework for evaluating the recently adopted Round 3 model of governance for the regulation of offshore wind and other marine activities in the United Kingdom. The focus is on the licensing procedures applicable to offshore wind development. Thereafter, the study examines the appropriateness of the application of the Round 3 model to the regulation of marine renewables in the OECS, and makes recommendations in that regard. Additionally, …

Proceeding With (Pre)Caution: Environmental Principles As Interpretive Tools In Applications For Pre-Trial Injunctions, Heather Mcleod-Kilmurray

Dalhousie Law Journal

In many cases of imminent environmental harm, a trial may take years. To prevent harm in the meantime, pre-trial injunctions are essential. The author highlights the important role of interlocutory injunctions in Canadian environmental litigation, uncovers the judicial assumptions and attitudes toward the environment which these decisions reveal, and proposes a precautionary approach to interpreting the interlocutory injunction test in environmental cases. She argues that prevailing judicial attitudes and presumptions in relation to environmental claims often negatively influence how the discretionary elements in procedural rules governing pre-trial injunctions are applied. Although there has been much analysis of principles such as …

Canada, The Eu And Arctic Ocean Governance: A Tangled And Shifting Seascape And Future Directions, David Vanderzwaag, Timo Koivurova, Erik J. Molenaar

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The objective of this paper is to examine (in a historical perspective) the roles of the European Union (EU) and Canada in governance and regulation of human activities in the Arctic Ocean. Section two describes the existing “tangled” nature of governance in the Arctic with a focus on law of the sea, approaches and challenges in the region, as well as on EU and Canadian participation in the activities of the Arctic Council. The “shifting seascape” in governance is next highlighted in section three with a review of increasing calls for change from scholars and other groups, recent governance initiatives …

Marine Protected Areas: Legal Framework For The Gully Off The Coast Of Nova Scotia (Canada), Paul Mcnab, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The Gully, a submarine canyon hosting a rich diversity of marine life off Nova Scotia, was designated in 2004 under Canada’s Oceans Act 1996 as a marine protected area (MPA). This case study reviews the Gully MPA legal and management framework through a five-part discussion. First described is the overall Canadian law and policy context for establishing MPAs. Next, specific legislative and regulatory provisions governing the Gully MPA are summarized including the three types of management zones adopted, ranging from strict preservation to multi-use. Management approaches to control human activities in and around the MPA are then described, with a …

Shifting Focus: Towards Outcome-Based Policy And Regulation Making For Maritime Safety And Vessel-Source Pollution In Canada, Aldo Chircop, Eric Machum

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

A recent publication concluded that “... Canadian water transportation policy is a history of: laissez faire; protection, financing and subsidization; government operation, ownership and privatization; expanded protection; commercialization; and a market oriented philosophy.” Consistent with this larger policy process, subsidiary policy and regulation making for maritime safety and vessel-source pollution in Canada have followed the roller-coaster pattern, punctuated by parallel milestones.

Home State Obligations For The Prevention And Remediation Of Transnational Harm: Canada, Global Mining And Local Communities, Sara Seck

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Canadian mining companies, stock exchanges, mining professionals, and the Canadian government itself, play a significant role in global mining. This unpublished PhD dissertation, completed in January 2008, explores whether Canada has a legal obligation to regulate to prevent and remedy human rights and environmental harm associated with Canadian mining companies operating abroad. Canada and global mining serve as a case study to explore the broader question of whether home states have obligations under international environmental and human rights law. The key claims examined in this dissertation are as follows. First, the exercise of unilateral home state jurisdiction over transnational corporate …

The Protection Of The Marine Environment From Land-Based Pollution And Activities: Gauging The Tides Of Global And Regional Governance, David Vanderzwaag, Ann Powers

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

After providing an introductory overview of the major land-based threats to the marine environment, this article focuses upon the specific global and regional efforts to address land-based marine pollution and activities through a four-part survey. The main international initiative is first described, namely, the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA). Progress in GPA implementation is next assessed with an emphasis on the documentation and results from the Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting on Implementation of the GPA held in October 2006. Major challenges constraining GPA implementation are then summarized, including limited national …

Current Legal Developments: International Union For The Conservation Of Nature, David Freestone, Kristina Gjerde, Rosemary Rayfuse, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The Workshop on High Seas Governance for the 21st Century was held in New York City on 17-19 October 2007. Over 50 leading experts in international marine policy, science, law and economics gathered to explore policy and regulatory options to improve oceans governance beyond areas of national jurisdiction (BANJ), particularly as they relate to the protection and preservation of the marine environment and marine biological diversity. Participants attended in their personal capacity and the Workshop was conducted under Chatham House Rules. Co-chairs of the Workshop were David Freestone, Kristina Gjerde, Rosemary Rayfuse and David VanderZwaag.

Home State Responsibility And Local Communities: The Case Of Global Mining, Sara L. Seck

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Home states that are actively engaged in global mining have considered and rejected calls to regulate the conduct of transnational mining corporations so as to prevent and remedy human rights and environmental harms. This reluctance to regulate is often expressed as a concern that extraterritorial regulation will conflict with the sovereignty of foreign states. This paper argues that the public international law of jurisdiction is permissive of home state regulation that can be justified under the nationality or territoriality principles, provided that there is no true conflict with an exercise of host state jurisdiction. In the human rights and environment …

Governance Of Arctic Marine Shipping, David Vanderzwaag, Aldo Chircop, Erik Franckx, Hugh M. M. Kindred, Moira Mcconnell, Angus Hugh Mcdonald, Ted Mcdorman, Tony George Puthucherril, Phillip Saunders, K. Joseph Spears

Reports & Public Policy Documents

The governance of shipping activities in the Arctic might be described as a “complicated mosaic.” The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), often referred to as the constitution of the oceans, sets out the overall legal framework for the regulation of shipping. The Convention sets out coastal state legislative and enforcement powers over foreign ships according to the maritime zones of jurisdiction laid out in the Convention. A fragmented array of international agreements attempts to address specific challenges raised by shipping such as marine pollution prevention standards, ship safety, seafarer rights and qualifications, and liability …

Law And Policy Options For Strategic Environmental Assessment In Canada, Hugh J. Benevides, Denis Kirchhoff, Robert B. Gibson, Meinhard Doelle

Reports & Public Policy Documents

This research paper has been produced for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency on behalf of the sub-committee on Strategic Environmental Assessment (the SEA sub-committee) which is in turn mandated by the Minister of the Environment’s Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC). The immediate need for the report is a request from RAC to the SEA sub-committee to research and report on law and policy options for improving the conduct of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Canada, with a focus on the federal level.

The purpose of the paper is to provide an impartial, research-based assessment of the best approaches to designing and …

Mexico's Implementation Of The Biodiversity Convention And The Catagena Protocol In The Gmo Era: Challenges In Principles, Policies, And Practices, Juan Antonio Herrera

PhD Dissertations

Recent developments in genetic modification and the use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) in agriculture have ignited a debate over the potential effects of these organisms on biological diversity. This controversy materializes in the clash between the international environmental and trade regimes. Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), such as the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) focus on the preservation of biological diversity and, in the case of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Cartagena Protocol), the safe transfer of LMOs. These Agreements encourage States to base national decisions to allow LMO imports on environmental and risk assessments using the precautionary principle. …

Revisiting The Doctrine Of Intergenerational Equity In Global Environmental Governance, Lynda M. Collins

Dalhousie Law Journal

In the absence of binding international enforcement mechanisms, global environmental governance must rely on a legal framework that has widespread normative force around the world. In addition, such a framework should be sufficiently detailed and pragmatic to allow for effective implementation, should achieve the goal of environmental protection, and should be reasonable in terms of the level of sacrifice expected of the present generation, particularly in the developing world. Itis arguedthat the comprehensive doctrine ofintergenerational equity is an effective and appropriate legal framework for global environmental governance. The doctrine ofintergenerational equityposits thepresent generation of humans as simultaneously beneficiaries of the …

A Global Treaty To Address Land-Based Sources Of Marine Pollution, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Land-based sources of pollution are estimated to be the source of approximately eighty percent of all marine pollution. In Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-Based Sources of Pollution: Towards Effective International Cooperation, Daud Hassan outlines the major sources of Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution (LBSMP), examines the current legal framework for control of LBSMP, and highlights the obstacles to creating more effective control measures. Additionally, Hassan presents a case study focusing on LBSMP control in the Bay of Bengal region and then concludes with a recommendation for the creation of a global treaty to more effectively address the impacts of …

Canada-Usa Bilateral Fisheries Management In The Gulf Of Maine: Under The Radar Screen, David Vanderzwaag, Emily J. Pudden

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Canada and the USA have developed a series of cooperative initiatives that address transboundary fisheries issues in the Gulf of Maine. The Canada – USA Steering Committee serves as an umbrella forum for discussing and coordinating transboundary management measures. Through the work of the Transboundary Resource Assessment Committee and the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee, the Steering Committee has overseen the development of joint scientific stock assessments and a sharing agreement for groundfish resources in the vicinity of the eastern Georges Bank. The bilateral Fisheries Enforcement Agreement helps ensure the success of such cooperative management initiatives by combating illegal fishing in …

The Arctic Council At 10 Years, Timo Koivurova, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The article provides a 10th anniversary assessment of the Arctic Council’s work, regional ocean governance arrangements, and challenges facing the Arctic Council through a two-part analysis. First, a retrospective look highlights the two phases of region-wide cooperation in the Arctic: the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy’s creation and development, followed by the founding of the Arctic Council and the implementation of its programs and projects. Second, a prospective view is provided, in which two future realities facing the Arctic Council are discussed: ‘soft sleddings’ and ‘hard’ questions. ‘Soft sleddings’ are likely to continue at least in the near term, with the …

Preventing Salmon Escapes From Aquaculture In Canada And The Usa: Limited International Coordinates, Divergent Regulatory Currents And Possible Future Courses, David Vanderzwaag, Tricia Barry

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Following an introductory review of the continuing problem of salmon escaping from aquaculture operations along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, and the considerable uncertainties over ecological impacts, this article examines the law and policy context for preventing escapes from three perspectives. First, the limited guidance for addressing aquaculture escapes under existing global and regional agreements/arrangements is highlighted. Second, how Canada and the USA have sought to control escape events at national and provincial/State levels is summarized. Third, possible future courses are identified, which improve the way salmon escapes are addressed, with stronger regional responses suggested as most …

High Seas Fisheries: Troubled Waters, Tangled Governance And Recovery Prospects, David Vanderzwaag, Boris Worm

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Global fisheries are in a perceived state of crisis. Despite growing technological effort and an unprecedented global expansion of fisheries, total landings (85-100 million MT per year) have stagnated and probably entered a period of slow decline. This trend may destabilize ocean ecosystems and undermine world seafood supplies, which provide the major source of protein for 2.3bn people, and international cooperation to address this issue has been slow. This is particularly true for highseas fisheries that occur in international waters encompassing some 61% of the world's ocean. These have been plagued by a fragmented and weak legal framework, poor enforcement …

Invasive Seaweed: Global And Regional Law And Policy Responses, Meinhard Doelle, Moira Mcconnell, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

We consider law and policy responses to invasive seaweeds at global and regional levels. Key global regimes considered include the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention and the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species. Contributions from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Maritime Organization are also considered in the global context. At a regional level, examples of efforts in North America and Europe are offered to illustrate challenges and opportunities for regional responses to invasive seaweeds. We conclude with law and policy recommendations, most notably the need …

Towards Principled Oceans Governance: Australian And Canadian Approaches And Challenges, Donald R. Rothwell, David Vanderzwaag

Books

Australia and Canada have been at the forefront of efforts to operationalize integrated oceans and coastal management. Throughout the 1990s both countries devoted considerable effort to developing strategies to give effect to international ocean management obligations.

This key book focuses on principles of marine environmental conservation and management, maritime regulation and enforcement, and regional maritime planning and implementation. With contributions from respected scholars, this informative book collectively assesses the obligations, compliance, implementation and trends in international ocean law, particularly in giving effect to an Oceans Policy, regional maritime planning, international oceans governance, and maritime security. This book will be of …

The Regulation Of Tidal Energy Development Off Nova Scotia: Navigating Foggy Waters, Meinhard Doelle, Dawn A. Russell, Phillip Saunders, David Vanderzwaag, David V. Wright

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The vast potential for tidal power development in the Bay of Fundy region of the Atlantic coast has been recognized for decades. At the same time, finding an effective way to harness this power in a cost effective, sustainable and environmentally responsible manner has been an ongoing challenge. In the 1980s, barrage based tidal power technology was piloted in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. It was found to be unsuitable from both environmental and cost perspectives.

More recently, pilot projects underway around the world are using new, open turbine technology that is expected to significantly reduce cost and environmental impact. This …

Aboriginal Title And Oceans Policy In Canada, Diana Ginn

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The Oceans Act of Canada sets out a broad framework for the unified management of Canada’s oceans based on an ecosystem approach. In particular, the Oceans Act calls on the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to lead and facilitate the development of a national strategy to guide the management of Canada’s estuarine, coastal and marine ecosystems. The Oceans Act also reflects awareness that aboriginal rights may affect the development or implementation of policy surrounding oceans management. For example, s. 2(1) of the Act states that “. . . nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to abrogate or …

Climate Change And The Use Of The Dispute Settlement Regime Of The Law Of The Sea Convention, Meinhard Doelle

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This article explores the connection between obligations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the climate change regime and obligations to protect the marine environment under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Within the context of the state of the science on the links between climate change and the marine environment, the article considers whether the emission of greenhouse gases as a result of human activity constitutes a violation of various obligations under the UNCLOS. Having identified a number of possible violations, the article proceeds to consider the application of the binding dispute settlement process …

The Potential Impact Of Aboriginal Title On Aquaculture Policy, Diana Ginn

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This chapter discusses the potential impact of aboriginal property rights on the development of aquaculture policy by considering whether such rights could provide a basis for First Nation peoples to participate in aquaculture or to manage the participation of others in this industry. The purpose of the chapter is to describe the relevant law as it now stands, to identify issues that have not yet been decided and to consider how the courts might approach such issues in the future.