International Environmental Law Research Guide

Policies regarding sustainable development and climate change management appeared on the world stage at the same time and should be studied and understood as a single body of law. This Nutshell enables readers to learn how the U.S. legal system fosters greenhouse gas reduction, energy conservation, and sustainable patterns of growth including energy efficient and sustainable buildings, the use of renewable energy resources, the protection of sequestering open space, and the adaptation of buildings and communities to sea level rise and natural disasters.

Climate change is viewed as a global issue, but proposed responses require action at the national level. Over the past 16 years, a variety of voluntary and regulatory actions have been proposed or undertaken in the United States, including monitoring of electric utility carbon dioxide emissions, improved appliances efficiency, and incentives for developing renewable energy sources. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 included provisions indirectly related to greenhouse gas emissions, such as energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 addresses renewable energy and conservation, but also includes provisions specifically on climate change. This book emphasises the steps that need to be taken to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. The authors of this book also discuss international law aspects of a nation's contributions to climate change, and the few international claims made against the United States to date. This book consists of public documents which have been located, gathered, combined, reformatted, and enhanced with a subject index, selectively edited and bound to provide easy access.

This book is an update to Climate Change Laws in the U.S. The legal landscape is complex, unstable, and expanding. Scientists continue to publish new findings, policy makers regularly adopt new regulations, and petitioners file new litigation, nationwide and around the world.