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ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND LAW

 

 

Session 2

Frameworks & Perspectives on Environmental Policy

 

Class Assignment:

Environmental Policy & Law (Chapter 2: Perspectives on Environmental Law & Policy); Founding Documents (Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution)

Klien, Christine (2003) "The Environmental Commerce Clause," Harvard Environmental Law Review. Vol. 27.

Meyer, Robinson (2017) "How the U.S. Protects the Environment From Nixon to Trump," The Atlantic. (March 29)

Morestein, Florience (2012) A Framework for Analyzing Public Policies: Practical Guide. Quebec, CA: National Collaborating Center for Public Policy.

Ostrom, Elinor (2007) "Institutional Rational Choice," In Paul A. Sabatier's (Ed) Theories of the Policy Process. Cambridge, MA: Westview Press, p. 21-64.

Ostrom, Elinor (2010) "Institutional Analysis and Development: Elements of the Framework in Historical Perspective," In Charles Crother's (Ed.) Historical Developments and Theoretical Approaches in Sociology. (Volume III), New York, NY: United Nations Educationa, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

 

Homework:

Read the assigned text chapter first and then read the founding documents as linked above. Be prepared to be examined on any or all of the environmental terms or concepts found in chapter 2 or in the section below. For your homework for this class session, answer the following questions.

  1. Answer the discussion questions for Environmental Policy and Law Chapter 2.
  2. Briefly describe the three analytical frameworks discussed in the text.
  3. Thereafter describe the policy framework proposed by Florence Morestein.
  4. Now describe the policy approach proposed by Elinor Ostrom.
  5. To what degree are "nature's" rights refelcted in the founding documents? Explain.
  6. To what portions of the Constitution do lawmakers look to provide authority for environmental legislation and policies?
  7. Explain the rationale used to apply these sections of the Constitution to environmental issues.
  8. Research the history of the Kyoto Protocol and tell me which Presidents supported it, how Congress responded to it and what ultimately becme of it. (This will require online web research).