Human Rights and the Environment: Legality, Indivisibility, Dignity and Geography

'James R. May and Erin Daly, household names in global environmental constitutionalism, have produced a magnum opus on human rights and the environment. An encyclopedia studded with precious research, analysis and wisdom from eminent voices from all over the world. The timing of the publication is auspicious. It coincides with the first ever Report of the UN Secretary General on International Environmental Law towards a Global Pact for the Environment. The encyclopedia is a must have for all students and scholars of human dignity and sustainable development, and particularly for those that will, hopefully, craft the Global Pact for the Environment into hard law on the model of the International Covenants on Human Rights.'
- Parvez Hassan, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law and Pakistan Environmental Law Association

'Is the Environment about the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees? Or is It about the vital organs of Life on Earth - the Land, Air, and Waters? (LAW). This marvelous work by James R. May and Erin Daly, and the contributors, world champions of the human right to Life and to the Sources of Life, could not be more timely. When we finally understand that the Environment is Life itself, then we will truly care for the LAW of Life that Human Rights and the Environment envelops.'
- Antonio Oposa, Jr., Litigator, Educator, Organizer and Activist

Much has been written, discussed, advocated and litigated about human rights and the environment over the last two decades. With 45 structured entries from a global collection of expert scholars, this volume of the Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law provides an authoritative source of reference and features new commentary on the role of the rule of law in responding to the variegated impacts of environmental challenges on the human condition.

This comprehensive volume offers fresh perspectives to the conversation by focusing especially on four subjects that shed new light on the subject of environmental human rights: the challenges of identifying the fundamental legal sources for the protection of human rights and the environment, the recognition of the indivisibility of human rights and environmental law, the centrality of the right to human dignity as the lodestar of human rights law, and the uniqueness of geographic particularities. Fundamentally, the entries demonstrate that there is much to do, learn and share on this vital topic.

Offering thoughtful critical perspectives on a timely subject, this volume will be an essential resource for academics and students, as well as policymakers and practitioners.

Contributors include: S. Adelman, N. Ahuja, C. Anant Malviya, A. Awal Khan, L. Benjamin, D. Bonilla Maldonado, R. Bratspies, C. Bruch, M. Burger, C. Butler, A. Carlson, C. Cournil, P. Coventry, E. Daly, K. Davies, R. Dhingra, R.J. Donato Quan, E. Gebre, C. Guneratne, A.M. Hammadeen, B. Hudson, C. Iorns Magallanes, V. Karageorgou, A. Kariuki, A. Kenmogne Simo, J.H. Knox, G.J. Kounga, A. Kreilhuber, S. Lamdan, R. Libel Waldman, K.E. Makuch, S.-J.-T. Manga, P. Martin, J.R. May, A. Mboya, S.O. McKenzie, M.A. Mekouar, D. Misiedjan, E. Mrema, R. Mwanza, D.S. Olawuyi, N. Osborne, O.W. Pedersen, J. Pendergrass, M.-C. Petersmann, M. Prieur, S.R. Rajan, L. Reins, J.M. Rivero Godoy, D.N. Scott, A. Solntsev, M. Stevenson, D.B. Suagee, A. Thomas, S.J. Turner, G. Van Hoorick, L. Vandenhende, J. Wentz, W. Yun Santoso

Edited by James R. May, Richard S. Righter Distinguished Professor of Law, Washburn University School of Law, USA and President and Founder, Dignity Rights Advocates and Erin Daly, Emerita Professor of Law, Widener University Delaware Law School, USA