IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Marine Series No. 4
IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Papers online

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Marine Series No. 3
IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Papers online

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Marine Series No. 2
IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Papers online

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Marine Series No. 1
IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Papers online

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EPLP No. 67/3
ABS Series No. 3
Manuel Ruiz Muller and Isabel Lapeña, Editors, 2007

Current discussions over the “Certificate of Origin, Source and Legal Provenance” include the legal and practical implications associated with tracking the flow of genetic resources. Knowing what is where, how it got there, and whether conditions and restrictions were complied with, is a critical aspect if an ABS regime is to be effective in its implementation. This book provides insights into options and components for the development of a national/international system for the tracking and monitoring of genetic resources to ensure compliance with the ABS provisions of the CBD. It includes discussions addressing the practical options for such a system, its costs and economic impacts, and its possible role in the ABS framework.

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EPLP No. 67/2
ABS Series No. 2
Morten Walløe Tvedt and Tomme Young, 2007

Fewer than 11% of CBD Parties have adopted substantive ABS law, and nearly all of these are developing countries, focusing almost entirely on the ‘access’ side of the equation. Most of the CBD’s specific ABS obligations, however, relate to the other side of the equation – benefit sharing. This book considers the full range of ABS obligations, and how existing tools in user countries’ national law can be used to achieve the CBD’s third objective. It examines the laws of those user countries which have either declared that their ABS obligations are satisfied by existing national law, or have begun legislative development; the requirements, weaknesses and gaps in achieving benefit-sharing objectives; and the ways in which new or existing legal tools can be applied to these requirements.

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EPLP No. 67/1
ABS Series No. 1
Jorge Cabrera Medaglia and Christian López Silva, 2007

This book provides a systematic analysis of the requirements of access law, both the CBD requirements and the basic requirements of enforceable legislation. Often key legal issues that have a significant impact on enforceability of ABS agreements are not addressed in national legislation, therefore, this book addresses these issues with the aim to recognize and understand the nature of the legal impediments that must be addressed for the drafting of functional ABS legislation. Although the book is premised on the issues of access, it inevitably refers to corresponding issues of benefit sharing that are relevant for articulating the legal principles that inform a functional ABS system. Its conclusions look at particular legal concepts that, if accepted, could form the basis for functional ABS systems that respond to the identified concerns.

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EPLP No. 64
Eduardo Astorga Jorquera, Lorenzo Soto Oyarzún y Alejandro Iza, Editores, 2007

Este es un estudio comparado de los regímenes de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA) de ciertos países de América del Sur (Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Ecuador y Perú).
Con una visión esquemática de las distintas realidades jurídicas nacionales, el libro analiza hasta que punto dichos regímenes incorporan la variable diversidad biológica. Partiendo de la política ambiental de cada uno de los países, se detalla en forma pormenorizada la legislación sectorial en la materia en cada uno de los países y la medida en la cual el concepto de diversidad biológica ha sido incorporado en los sistemas de EIA de cada uno de ellos. La publicación se completa con un análisis de algunos casos relevantes y con un anexo documental que contiene las resoluciones del Convenio de Diversidad Biológica más importante en la materia.

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EPLP No. 57 
Gerald Moore and Witold Tymowski, 2005

The entry into force of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture marks the commitment of the world community to a freestanding convention directed at addressing both global needs for food security and internationally agreed objectives regarding the concepts of ‘access and benefit-sharing’ found in the Convention on Biological Diversity. The sixth in a series of Guides to the implementation of particular international instruments and concepts, it seeks to promote greater understanding of the Treaty’s text, including some of the scientific, technical and legal issues upon which it is founded, and possible implications.

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EPLP No. 54 
edited by Santiago Carrizosa, Stephen B. Brush, Brian D. Wright, Patrick E. McGuire, 2004

The book aims to address the lack of information on the experiences of others by providing a comparative analysis of national access and benefit-sharing laws and policies in the 41 Pacific Rim countries that signed the CBD. It provides key insights on the main characteristics of selected access and benefit-sharing (ABS) policies and laws, their development, and implementation process. It contains a detailed comparative analysis of existing laws and policies. It presents four case studies of countries with regulations in place and contrasts them with four case studies of countries that are struggling to develop their regulations. It ends by discussing options of an international regime on ABS and a summary analysis of the main lessons and recommendations from the study.

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by Tomme Young
IUCN, IUCN, Policy and Global Change Group, 2004
IUCN Policy and Global Change Series ; No.1

Biosafety and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are amongst the most complex of biodiversity issues: from species conservation, to sustainable livelihoods, to socio-cultural policy. The greatest GMO-related need shared by all decision-makers – governmental, civil society, and industrial – is for unbiased background information and a framework for evaluating new evidence. This detailed, background analysis aims to enable IUCN and its Members determine how they should "advance leadership, research, analysis and dissemination of knowledge regarding the potential ecological impact of the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment, focusing especially on biodiversity, socio-economic impact and food security".

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EPLP No. 46 
Ruth Mackenzie, Françoise Burhenne-Guilmin, Antonio G.M. La Viña and Jacob D. Werksman in cooperation with Alfonso Ascencio, Julian Kinderlerer, Katharina Kummer and Richard Tapper, 2003

This guide has been prepared by the IUCN Environmental Law Programme and the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD), in cooperation with the World Resources Institute (WRI). The main goal of the guide is to facilitate the understanding of the obligations of Parties to the Protocol, by providing an information base on the content and origin of the Protocol provisions, accessible to the non-specialist and useful for those who will be involved in the development and implementation of national safety frameworks.

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EPLP No. 40 
Clare Shine, Nattley Williams and Lothar Gündling, 2000 

This guide seeks to help by providing national law and policy makers with practical information and guidance for developing of strengthening legal and institutional frameworks on alien invasive species, consistent with Article 8(h) of the CBD, as well as pertinent obligations under other international instruments. It provides a structured framework for dealing with alien invasive species issues and contains illustrations and practical examples to assist in understanding their impact.

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Report of the International Expert Workshop on the Enforcement of Wildlife Trade Controls
by M. Anton, N. Dragffy, S. Pendry and T. Young, 2001
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EPLP No. 37 Assessing the International Forest Regime
edited by Richard Tarasofsky , 1999
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EPLP No. 36 A Guide to National Legislation for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity
Patricia Moore in collaboration with Lothar Gündling et al.
Publishing plans for this title have been withdrawn.

EPLP No. 35 A Guide to Undertaking Biodiversity Legal and Institutional Profiles
Glowka, L. in collaboration with Clare Shine, Orlando Rey Santos, Mohiuddin Farooque and Lothar Gündling, 1998
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EPLP No. 34 A Guide to Designing Legal Frameworks to Determine Access to Genetic Resources
Glowka, L., 1998

EPLP No. 32 Biodiversity in the Seas: Implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity in Marine and Coastal Habitats
Fontaubert de, A. C., Downes, D.R., Agardy, T.S, 1996

EPLP No. 30 A Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity
Glowka, L. et al., 1994

EPLP No. 29 Biological Diversity Conservation and the Law: Legal Mechanisms for Conserving Species and Ecosystems
Klemm, C.de; Shine, C., 1993

EPLP No. 26 Guidelines for Legislation to Implement CITES
Klemm, C. de, 1993

EPLP No. 24 Wild Plant Conservation and the Law
Klemm, C. de, 1990

EPLP No. 22 International Wildlife Law
Lyster, S., 1985

EPLP No. 21 Elements of an Agreement on the Conservation of Western Palearctic Migratory Species of Wild Animals
Klemm, C. de et al., 1983

EPLP No. 19 Legal Measures for the Conservation of Marine Mammals (Loose Leaf)
Birnie, P., 1982

EPLP No. 17 Guidelines for National Implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Emonds, G., 1981

EPLP No. 16 Guidelines for Protected Areas Legislation
Lausche, B.J., 1980

 

EPLP No. 59 
Maria Socorro Z. Manguiat, Roda Verheyen, Jens Mackensen and Gerald Scholz, 2005

Among the various innovative instruments linked to the Kyoto Protocol is the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which offers developed countries a chance to offset some of their greenhouse gas emissions by funding development projects in areas such as renewable energy and forestry. Over the last two years, the rules of the CDM and those relating in particular to afforestation and reforestation have evolved significantly. With this explosion of rules has arisen a need to make sure that those who will apply these rules understand them, and fully appreciate their repercussions. This publication attempts to respond to this need, and explores the legal requirements for CDM-related forestry projects, highlighting work in Argentina, Chile, Ghana and the Philippines.

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EPLP No. 47 
Adrian J. Bradbrook, Richard L. Ottinger, 2003

Energy has recently emerged at the forefront of sustainable development. The United Nations Development Programme’s World Energy Assessment (2000) linked energy and most of the ills of modern society in both developed and developing countries. The World Summit on Sustainable Development selected energy as one of its five major agenda issues, devising a Plan of Implementation emphasising the role of energy in eradicating poverty. That same plan calls for the establishment of policy and regulatory frameworks to promote the development and dissemination of alternative energy technologies. This ground-breaking publication should serve as an invaluable tool to facilitate the understanding of the relationship between energy law and sustainable development.

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EPLP No. 69
ouvrage coordonné par Laurent Granier, 2008

This book (published in French) consists of nine articles written by environmental lawyers from the region, regrouped around three themes: Chapter I deals with “convergences and divergences of national legal frameworks”, and provides illustrations from a number of countries and subjects; Chapter II considers a selection of legal frameworks for three types of ecosystems (forests, a river basin, and marine and coastal areas); Chapter III considers the implementation of international law and regional integration, as well as the revised African Convention on the conservation of nature and natural resources as a new framework for integrated development of environmental law in Africa. An introduction and a conclusion place these contributions in their international and regional context. The publication is the result of a joint UNEP-IUCN project.

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EPLP No. 62 
Grethel Aguilar, Alejandro Iza and Marianela Cedeño, 2006

Central America is a region that shares ecosystems, river basins, and protected areas. The development of projects, plans or activities likely to produce transboundary impacts need to be appropriately considered, and an EIA process established and anchored in regional policies and legislation. This book, analyses the relevant initiatives on transboundary EIA in the world, and advances the basic elements of a regional agreement on EIA in a transboundary context for Central America.

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EPLP No. 61 
Alejandro Iza y Marta Brunilda Rovere (Editores), 2006

Los glaciares son ecosistemas de fundamental importancia que se encuentran en constante declinación. Para revertir este problema es necesario diseñar y adoptar mecanismos para su adecuada gestión y conservación. El libro, fruto de un esfuerzo conjunto de la Comisión de Derecho Ambiental y del Centro de Derecho Ambiental, aborda la cuestión relativa a la conservación de los glaciares, hielos y nevados continentales y, a través de un análisis eminentemente jurídico en ciertos países de América del Sur, promueve la reflexión respecto a la adopción de políticas públicas y marcos normativos específicos tendientes a la conservación de los mencionados ecosistemas. El estudio de la realidad en siete países sudamericanos (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú y Venezuela) pone de manifiesto la carencia de un régimen específico de conservación de glaciares y elabora una serie de propuestas para su gestión y conservación.

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EPLP No. 65 
Laurent Granier, 2006

Les Conventions locales de gestion des ressources naturelles et de l’environnement sont une grande réussite au Sénégal. Ces instruments contractuels, négociés au niveau local par une délibération de la collectivité locale et approuvés par l’Administration, peuvent porter sur une simple ressource, un groupe de ressources, ou encore sur un écosystème entier, comme c’est le cas dans le delta du Saloum. Impliquant l’ensemble des acteurs concernés, elles offrent la flexibilité, mais aussi le niveau de détail nécessaire, à une gestion rationnelle et intelligente de ressources naturelles hélas de plus en plus rares.

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EPLP No. 60 Judges and the Rule of Law - Creating the Links: Environment, Human Rights and Poverty
Thomas Greiber (Ed.), 2006

Judges play a critical role in the development, enforcement and compliance with environmental law. To showcase the role of the judiciary in upholding the rule of law, IUCN organized a “Judiciary Day” at its 2004 World Conservation Congress in Bangkok. This publication contains papers and speeches covering some of the cutting-edge themes that were discussed. It is hoped that these proceedings will enable a wide community of readers to better understand the crucial role of the judiciary in achieving the goals of sustainable development and nature conservation.

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EPLP No. 56 
IUCN ELP, 2004
Second revised edition: 2006

The African Convention on the conservation of nature and natural resources was adopted in 1968 in Algiers. Considered the most forward looking regional agreement of the time, it influenced significantly the development of environmental law in Africa. Two and a half decades of intense developments in international environmental law made it necessary to revise this treaty, update its provisions and enlarge its scope. This was undertaken under the auspices of the African Union (previously OAU), and the revision was adopted by its Heads of State and Government in July 2003 in Maputo. This edition of the introduction provides an overview of this new international treaty, as well as a commentary to each of its provisions with texts in both English and French.

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EPLP No. 31 
Commission on Environmental Law of IUCN - The World Conservation Union in cooperation with International Council of Environmental Law, 1995
Second Edition: Updated Text, 2000
Third Edition: Second Revised Text, 2004

The Draft Covenant is a blueprint for an international framework (or umbrella) agreement consolidating and developing existing legal principles related to environment and development. Since the publication of the second edition in 2000, there have been important developments in the field of international environmental law. This revised edition takes account of these changes, following a review of important new treaties and soft law documents, including the Johannesburg Declaration and Plan of Implementation. This publication serves as an authoritative reference and checklist for legislators, civil servants and other stakeholders worldwide when drafting new, or updating, existing policies and law.

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EPLP No. 49 International Environmental Governance - An International Regime for Protected Areas
edited by John Scanlon and Françoise Burhenne-Guilmin, 2004

With ‘good governance’ firmly entrenched on the international agenda, this publication analyses the trends affecting protected area governance at the international level, and goes on to explore emerging issues concerning certification, standards, partnerships and funding mechanisms. It does not seek to prescribe the answers, rather it seeks to clearly articulate the issues, the competing arguments, and the challenges that all need to be addressed as we strive for the optimal protected area governance arrangements.

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EPLP No. 48 Towards a "Second Generation" in Environmental Laws in the Asian and Pacific Region - Selected Trends
edited by Lye Lin-Heng with Maria Socorro Z. Manguiat
(Proceedings of an IUCN/IGES/ADB Symposium, ADB Institute, Tokyo, Japan), 2003
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Customary Laws - Governing Natural Resource Management in the Northern Areas
by A. Bilal, H. Haque and P. Moore
IUCN, 2003
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EPLP No. 44 Arctic Legal Regime for Environmental Protection
Linda Nowlan, 2002
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EPLP No. 43 Environmental Law in Developing Countries - Selected Issues Vol. II
Marianela Cedeño Bonilla, Edgar Fernández Fernández, Sondes Jemaiel, Rose Mwebaza and Dana Zhandayeva (co-ordinated by Françoise Burhenne-Guilmin), 2004
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EPLP No. 43 Environmental Law in Developing Countries - Selected Issues
Nazrul Islam, Isabel Martinez, Ikechi Mgbeoji, Wang Xi (co-ordinated by Francoise Burhenne-Guilmin), 2001
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EPLP No. 42 Direito do Ambiente e Redacção Mormativa: teorie e prática nos países lusófonos
Mauricio Cysne e Teresa Amador (eds.), 2000
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EPLP No. 28 Environmental Law in the South Pacific - Consolidated Report of the Reviews of Environmental Law in the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kingdom of Tonga, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands
Boer, Ben (ed), 1996

EPLP No. 27 Agenda 21: Earth's Action Plan
Robinson, N.A. (ed), 1993

EPLP No. 20 Rev. Environmental Protection in Islam
Bagader, A.; Al Sabbagh, A.; Al Glayand, M.; Sammarrai, M.
in collaboration with Llewellyn, O., 1994
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EPLP No. 20 Basic Paper on the Islamic Principles for the Conservation of the Natural Environment
Kader, A.; Al Sabbagh, A.; Al Glenid, M.; Izzidien, M., 1983

EPLP No. 18 The Environmental Law of the Sea
Johnston, D. (ed), 1981

EPLP No. 15 Trends in Environmental Policy and Law
Bothe, M., 1980

EPLP No. 14 Nordic Countries' Legislation on the Environment with Special Emphasis on Conservation : A Survey
Koester, V., 1980

EPLP No. 13 Premarket Testing of Industrial Products: A Means of Controlling Unrecognized Environmental Hazards
Mattes, M.A., 1977

EPLP No. 12 Property and Environment: The Social Obligation Inherent in Ownership
Dolzer, R., 1976

EPLP No. 11 Fiscal Measures for Environmental Protection: Two Divergent Views
Delogu, O.E.; Soell, H., 1976

EPLP No. 10 Survey of Current Developments in International Environmental Law
Kiss, A.C., 1976

EPLP No. 9 The Legal Aspects of Ecological Reserve Creation and Management in Canada
Franson, R.T., 1975

EPLP No. 8 Private Remedies for Transfrontier Environmental Disturbances
McCaffrey, S.C., 1975

EPLP No. 7 United States Experience with the Preparation and Analysis of Environmental Impact Statements: (NEPA) The National Environmental Policy Act
Delogu, O.E., 1974

EPLP No. 6 Financing Environmental Measures in Developing Countries: The Principle of Additionality
MacLeod, S., 1974

EPLP No. 5 Source Book: Emergence of Proposals for Recompensing Development Countries for Maintaining Environmental Quality
Nicholls, Y.I., 1973

EPLP No. 3 German Law on Standing to Sue
Rehbinder, E., 1972

EPLP No. 2 Standing to Sue in Environmental Litigation in the United States of America
Gregory, D.D., 1972

EPLP No. 1 The Easement as a Conservation Technique
Gregory, D.D., 1972
 

EPLP No. 52 
Ian Hannam and Ben Boer, 2004

This is a unique publication relating to legal frameworks of natural resources management. Following the “Legal and Institutional Frameworks for Sustainable Soils” (EPLP 45), this publication contributes to the revision of existing, and drafting of new, legislation relating to soils. It highlights the need for national soil policy, and sets out a soil management plan. It proposes legal and institutional elements that specifically address the needs of disadvantaged people, particularly women.

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EPLP No. 68
Marta Brunilda Rovere y Alejandro Iza, Editores, 2007

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EPLP No. 58 
Grethel Aguilar, Alejandro Iza, 2007

Gobernanza de aguas compartidas. El Centro de Derecho Ambiental y la Oficina Regional de UICN para Mesoamérica presentan el libro Gobernanza de aguas compartidas: aspectos jurídicos e institucionales, el cual es un esfuerzo conjunto que recoge los aportes del diálogo sobre gobernanza de cuencas compartidas celebrado en Ciudad de Guatemala en septiembre de 2004 y organizado por la Unidad de gestión del agua de la UICN-Mesoamérica La publicación, parte de la Serie de Política y Derecho Ambiental, fue elaborada por Grethel Aguilar, Directora Regional de UICN-Mesoamérica y Alejandro Iza, Director del Centro de Derecho Ambiental. Este libro toma como punto de partida al derecho internacional y explica cómo dicho cuerpo legal, con sus principios y tratados, puede servir de vehículo para una buena gestión de las cuencas hidrográficas compartidas y la promoción de una buena gobernanza de las mismas. El objetivo de esta publicación es realizar un aporte al fortalecimiento de las capacidades de los tomadores de decisión en la materia, promover la cooperación entre los Estados que comparten cuerpos de agua y contribuir para que la integración regional se haga realidad; para ello parte de la idea de que la frontera debe ser entendida como un espacio para ensayar y forjar la cooperación y en la cual el agua desempeña un rol fundamental. El libro trata de ofrecer a todos los interesados en la temática de los recursos hídricos los elementos más importantes de su manejo y conservación en el contexto internacional, con especial énfasis en Centroamérica.

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EPLP No. 53 
edited by Alejandro Iza and Marta B. Rovere, 2006

Este libro analiza el marco jurídico e institucional de los recursos hídricos en determinados países de América del Sur. El tratamiento de temas clásicos como la asignación de agua para diferentes usos y la prevención y control de la contaminación es complementado por la consideración de cuestiones relativas a la conservación tales como caudales ecológicos, conservación de las aguas subterráneas y derechos tradicionales y ancestrales. Los diferentes capítulos presentan los casos de Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay y Venezuela.

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EPLP No. 55 
Vol. 1 : International Agreements : Compilation and Analysis
Alejandro Iza (Ed.), 2004

An analysis is provided of the most relevant provisions on freshwater ecosystems conservation, present in international treaties, and bilateral and multilateral agreements relating to rivers and lakes. Included also an analysis of relevant European Union legislation.

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EPLP No. 51
John Scanlon, Angela Cassar, Noémi Nemes, 2004

Formally acknowledging water as a human right could encourage the international community and governments to enhance their efforts to satisfy basic human needs and to meet the Millennium Development Goals. But critical questions arise in relation to a right to water. What would be the benefits and content of such a right? What mechanisms would be required for its effective implementation? Should the duty be placed on governments alone, or should the responsibility also be borne by private actors? Is another 'academic debate' on this subject warranted when action is really what is necessary? Without claiming to prescribe the answers, this publication clearly and carefully sets out the competing arguments and the challenges.

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EPLP No. 50 
Madiodio Niasse, Alejandro Iza, Amidou Garane, Olli Varis, 2004

Proceedings of the IUCN workshop "Water governance : legal and institutional aspects of natural resources management in West Africa".

The workshop was organised to improve the understanding of the dialectic between water-related infrastructures and institutional frameworks in West Africa. Papers address a multiplicity of issues on water governance: water, wetlands and international environmental agreements; legal aspects of transboundary water resources; water resources management at the local level: customary and modern institutions; Integrated Water Resources Management, environment, economy, and equity in national water policies; and river basin organisations in West Africa.

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edited by M. Dyson, G.Bergkamp and J. Scanlon
IUCN, 2003
An environmental flow is the water regime provided within a river, wetland or coastal zone to maintain ecosystems and their benefits where there are competing water uses and where flows are regulated. Pioneering efforts in South Africa, Australia and the United States have shown that the process to establish them poses great challenges. Second in the series of the Water & Nature Initiative, this guide draws extensively on the experiences in these countries to offer hands-on advice and practical guidance on technical issues for this emerging issue on the water resource agenda.

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