Introduction to Environmental Regulation

Abstract

As public concern for the environment has increased, so have the methods employed by governments to address environmental challenges. Environmental regulations allow governments to protect human health and the environment. The regulatory approaches employed by countries have grown substantially. The implementation of the first environmental regulation predates the twentieth century, with limited expansion occurring early in the twentieth century. Many countries did not construct their first environmental policy until the 1970s. Importantly, the stringency of regulations employed differed considerably across countries. Due to varying economic development and environmental degradation, regulatory approaches vary widely across the world. This chapter examines the evolution of environmental regulation, events leading to different regulatory approaches, and the tools available to policymakers. This chapter also provides a philosophical, historical, and political discussion behind environmental regulation. Three broad categories of environmental regulations are examined with additional emphasis on their environmental outcome, influence on polluters, and political feasibility.