Environmental Principles and Policies by Sharon Beder

Biodiversity banks, emissions trading, fishing quotas, water rights. A whole new suite of environmental policy instruments are being introduced in Australia and around the world. But can policies designed primarily to facilitate economic growth also protect the environment? Are they fair and equitable? Do they fit with the precautionary principle? Are they putting human rights at risk? These are the questions which Sharon Beder's latest book, Environmental Principles and Policies sets out to answer.



Environmental Principles and Policies examines six key environmental and social principles that have been incorporated into international treaties and national laws. It uses them to evaluate the new wave of economic-based and market-based policy instruments that are currently being introduced in many nations.



This book differs from other texts on environmental policy-making as a result of its critical and interdisciplinary approach. Rather than merely setting out policies in a descriptive or prescriptive way, it analyses and evaluates policy options from a variety of perspectives. This enables students and general readers not only to gain a thorough grasp of important principles and current policies, but also to be able to apply the principles and critically evaluate them.