scholarly journals The Environmental law of the Kurdistan Region, and its compatibility with international principles of environmental policies

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 217-234
Author(s):  
Salam Abdulqadir Abdulrahman

Environmental problems in Iraqi Kurdistan Region have been growing over the past two decades, and the regional government has responded by issuing legislation and regulation. This paper reviews the Kurdistan Regional environmental laws, and evaluates them against the international principles of environmental policies. It finds that the laws have incompatibility with the principles to varying degrees. The paper suggests that incorporating these principles into the environmental laws is necessary so as to have a just, participatory and precautionary environmental policy and a sustainable economy. The paper also looks at some environmental problems on the ground to further clarify the matter.

2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaniv Voller

AbstractThe struggle against gender-based violence in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has witnessed some significant achievements since the late 1990s. A subject long excluded from public discourse in the region, it has now moved increasingly into the mainstream, compelling the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to take legal and practical measures against such practices as honor killings, female genital mutilation, and domestic violence. This article traces the sources of these shifts in the KRG's stance, looking especially at the role of transnational women's rights networks in the region. It highlights these networks’ successful strategy of binding their cause to the KRG's endeavor to legitimize and consolidate its contested sovereignty over the Kurdistan Region. In doing so, the paper addresses an underexplored subject in the literature on women's rights campaigns in the Kurdistan Region and contributes to the study of transnational advocacy as a source of normative change.


Author(s):  
Elizabeth Fisher

‘The history of environmental law’ explains that environmental problems have been inherent in civilization since the beginning and have needed collective management. It tracks environmental issues and how societies managed them from ancient Rome to the Middle Ages, and then through to industrialization. The increasing international dimension of environmental problems is discussed, as well as the emerging environmentalism of the 1960s. The 1970s saw regional and international agreements signed in relation to a range of pollution and nature conservation issues, but there was disenchantment by the 2000s when environmental laws began to be seen as a threat to economic growth. Finally, the ultimate tragedy of the commons—climate change—is discussed.


2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Kraft

Environmental policy and politics in the United States have changed dramatically over the past three decades. What began in the late 1960s as an heroic effort by an incipient environmental movement to conserve dwindling natural resources and prevent further deterioration of the air, water, and land has been transformed over more than three decades into an extraordinarily complex, diverse, and often controversial array of environmental policies. Those policies occupy a continuing position of high visibility on the political agenda at all levels of government, and environmental values are widely embraced by the American public. Yet throughout the 1990s environmental policies and programs were characterized as much by sharp political conflict as by the consensus over policy goals and means that reigned during the early to mid-1970s. As the twenty-first century approaches, there is considerable value in looking back at this exceptional period to under-stand the nature of the transformation and its implications for the future.


1991 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-220
Author(s):  
Alastair R. Lucas

European Community and Canadian federal environmental laws as they affect the energy sector -oil and gas, and non-nuclear electricity generation- are reviewed and comparatively analyzed. The study concludes that it is appropriate to consider the development of both the Canadian and European environmental law in terms of a federal model and that there are legal federalism lessons to be learned from both sides. While from an energy sector perspective EC and Canadian environmental policy and law have developed in a broadly similar manner, the study shows important differences in timing and pace of implementation. Canadian energy industries were required to respond earlier to strengthening and harmonizing of air quality standards, and to the scientific and public review demands of environmental assessment than their European counterparts. EC air pollution measures targeted the energy sector more directly and explicitly than is the case in Canada. The EC has also been more successful in coordinating and integrating environmental and energy policy, and is closer to implementing economic pollution control instruments such as tradeable permits and taxes. Canada has placed greater emphasis on civil and criminal liability, including personal liability ofcorporate officers and directors, and the energy sector hasresponded with environmental audits and improvements in compliance and corporate environmental planning. The Canadian energy sector has, to a greater extent than the European imdustry, been required to deal with increasingly extensive rights of the public to participate in environmental decisions.


Author(s):  
Qadir Aso Araz

The article deals with the problem of the influence of the Iraqi Kurdistan oil and gas industry on the relations of the Kurdish autonomy with the central authority of Iraq. The international aspects of extraction and transportation of hydrocarbons from the territory of the Kurdistan Region are also analyzed. The legal basis for the functioning of the oil and gas complex in the region, the main differences between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the powers of the Kurdish regional government in the field of exploitation of natural resources of the autonomy is represented. It has been established that the independent activity of the Iraqi Kurdistan authorities in the development of the oil and gas industry in its territory, the wide involvement of foreign investment provided autonomy a significant source of income, which became the financial backing of Erbil in his political disputes with Baghdad. At the same time, in the question of the transportation of hydrocarbon, the landlocked Iraqi Kurdistan was critically dependent on Turkey, which greatly limits its range of options in its relations with Ankara. Excessive dependence of the Iraqi Kurdistan economy on hydrocarbon exports is one of the strategic challenges for Kurdish autonomy, but significant positive developments in this area are possible only in the long-term perspective. Keywords: Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan, Kurdish autonomy, Turkey, oil and gas industry.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-208
Author(s):  
Lana Askari

This article focuses on how Kurdish returnees experience the process of returning “home”, how they imagine and (re) negotiate their future, through the discussion of my documentary film, Haraka Baraka: Movement is a Blessing, which tells the story of my parents’ return to Iraqi Kurdistan after living in the Netherlands for more than 20 years.  While over the past decade, the Kurdistan Region has developed into a safe-haven situated within a conflict-laden area, the recent tension around the Islamic State’s (IS) expansion has changed the social and political landscape significantly in the Middle East, leading to new considerations for potential returnees. Based on the fieldwork I conducted through filming my own family during their return journey, I argue that using visual anthropological tools can open a window onto diasporic movements and illuminate social life in times of crisis by challenging the representation of Kurdish migrants and addressing the impact of uncertainty in their lives. Keywords: Kurdish diaspora; social navigation; visual Anthropology.Filmandina malbatê û behsa vegerê di çêkirina Haraka Baraka: Movement is a Blessing de Babeta vê nivîsarê Kurdên vegerayî û serhatiya wan di pêvajoya vegera bo ‘malê’ da ye. Nivîsar bala xwe dide wê yekê ka vegerayî bi çi rengî paşeroja xwe xeyal û ji nû ve guftûgo dikin. Ev mijar bi rêka filma min a belgeyî ya bi navê Haraka Baraka: Movement is a Blessing tê nîqaş kirin, ku çîroka vegera dê û bavên min bo Kurdistana Iraqê ya piştî pitir ji 20 salên jîna li Holendayê vedibêje. Di demekê de ku Herêma Kurdistanê di nav deh salên borî de bûye stargeheke ewle li devereke pir bi şer û pevçûn, kêşe û nerihetiyên vê dawiyê yên ji ber mezinbûna DAEŞê, dîmenê civakî û sîyasî yê li Rojhilata Navîn gelek guhartiye, ku bi vê yekê re hizr û fikarên nû xistine ber wan Kurdên ku niyeta wan a vegerê heye. Li ser bingehê xebata meydanî, ya ku min di qonaxa filmandina rêvingiya malbata xwe ya vegerê da encam da, ez îdia dikim ku bikaranîna amûrên antropolojîk ên dîtinî (vîzuel) dikare pencereyeke nû veke bi ser hereketên diyasporayê de û ronahiyê bixe ser jiyana civakî di demên qeyranê de, ku ji bo çespandina vê yekê ez li dijî temsîlên serdest ên koçberên kurd radibim û her wiha karîgeriya guman û nediyariyê ya li ser jiyana wan nîqaş dikim. فیلم گرتن له‌ بنە ماڵە و باس کردن لە گە ڕانەوە لە کاتی دە رهێنانی "حە‌رە کە بەرەکە:جووڵانەوە خێروبه‌ره‌كه‌ته"‌(Haraka Baraka: Movement is a Blessing) ئە م وتاره، بە یارمەتی باسكردن له بەڵگە فیلمەکەم، "حەرەکە بەرەکە: جووڵانەوە خێروبهرهكهته"، کە چیرۆکی گەڕانەوەی دایکوبابم بۆ کوردستانی ئێراق پاشی بیست ساڵ ژیان لە وڵاتی هۆڵەند دەگێڕێتەوە، تیشک دەخاتە سەر ئەو بابەتە کە ئهو کوردانهی دهگەڕێنهوه بۆ وڵات چۆن پڕۆسەی گەڕانەوە بۆ "ماڵەوە" ئەزموون دەکەن و، چۆنی داهاتووی خۆیان دەهێننە بەر چاو ودهیخهنه بهر لێوردبوونهوه و پێداچوونهوه. لە ماوەی دە ساڵی ڕابردوودا، هەرێمی کوردستان گەشەی سەندووە و بووە بە حەشارگەیەکی بێمەترسیی لە ناودڵی ناوچەیەکی لێوانلێو لە ململانێ و بەیەکداداندا، بهڵام، ئەو شڵەژانەی ئەم دواییانە، لە ئاکامی پەرە سەندنی دەوڵەتی ئیسلامیی(داعش)، بە شێوەیەکی گرینگ دیمەنی کۆمەڵایەتیی وسیاسیی ڕۆژهەڵاتی ناڤینی گۆڕیوە. هەربەم هۆیەوە، ئهوانهی كه تهمای گهڕانهوهیان ههیه دهستیان كردووه به لێوردبوونهوهیهكی نوێ له تهماكهیان.. لە سەر بنەمای ئەم کارە مەیدانییەی کە لە ڕێگەی فیلمگرتن لە بنەماڵەکەی خۆم، لە جەنگەی سەفەری گەڕانەوەیاندا، کردووە، وای بۆ دەچم کە بە کارهێنانی ئامرازگەلی مرۆڤناسانەی دیتنی (visual anthropological tools) دەتوانێت لە ڕێگەی بهرهوڕووبوونهوه له گهڵ شێوهی نواندنی کۆچبەرانی کورد وئاماژە پێدان بە بێتهكلیفی و سهرگهردانی له ژیانیان دا، پهنجهرهیهك  بەرەوڕووی جووڵانهوهی تاراوگەنشینیی بکاتەوە و ژیانی کۆمەڵایەتیی لە کاتی قەیرانەکاندا ڕووناک بكاتهوه.


2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-297
Author(s):  
László Fodor

Until 1990, Hungary’s environmental legislation had been broadly incomprehensive. Since then, several laws and judicial decisions were passed, and scholarly literature on this topic exists in abundance. However, as yet, there is no exhaustive evaluation of the development of the legal and legislative development of the country’s environmental law of the past thirty years. This article provides a historical overview of Hungary’s environmental law, followed by an outline of the developments of the 1990 s; it then presents Hungary’s post-millenial environmental law, shedding light on the first decade. The next chapter covers Hungary’s environmental law after 2010, which was a turning point in the country’s environmental policies, associated with the FIDESZ party’s accession to power and several controversial environmental policies. The article concludes that environmental law cannot be observed separately, but must always be reviewed in conjunction with, and in the context of, changes in the entire legal system and the political changes taking place in a country at large. Despite EU approximation of environmental law, there are still cases of Hungarian environmental law contradicting European domestic market fundamental freedoms and competition law.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-224
Author(s):  
Jerzy Jendrośka

Abstract The article provides a concise overview of the origins of modern environmental law in Europe based on general historical studies or the legal studies dealing with the history of environmental law in particular European regions or countries. It presents historical development of the two fundamental branches of environmental law, namely nature conservation and pollution control, first at the medieval times and then as a consequence of Industrial Revolution. The article presents the legal instruments and concepts invented in the past in the light of the instruments and concepts used in the current European legislation. In this context it attempts to show that some of the contemporary concepts and many of currently used legal instruments of environmental policy are not the modern invention and have the roots in some older concepts and instruments invented already long time ago in some national legislations in Europe. In conclusion the article claims that while the global challenges brought about by the climate change require politicians to seek a new, more comprehensive, approach to environmental policy and law – some lessons learned from the past experience may be useful.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 59-71
Author(s):  
Michał Czuba

Humans and their existence depend on the natural system. Maintaining balance in this system requires proper management of natural resources and taking actions aimed at limiting and preventing negative effects of the economic activity as well as rational use of natural resources available in a given time. The effects of the intensive development of the economy with the uncontrolled use of natural resources were felt by developed countries already in the first, and much stronger in the second half of the 20th century. One of them is air pollution contributing to the formation of smog. This problem is so important in Polish conditionsthat measures are taken by the government and its authorities to limit the effects and scope of this phenomenon. These activities serve to increase the ecological security. Over the past dozen or so years, there has been a significant evolution of environmental policy in Poland, new regulations have been created in the field of environmental law. The paper analyzes the issues of Poland’s environmental policy up to 2030 and the “Clean Air” program implemented under this policy. It also attempts to indicate the positive social effects resulting from its implementation.


Legal Studies ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Lee

This paper considers certain proposals made by the European Commission on environmental liability, particularly in its White Paper on Environmental Liability. Civil liability has made a relatively minor contribution to environmental policy in recent decades, given its many well-known shortcomings when applied to environmental problems. Its usefulness, however, is being reassessed, given something of a consensus that traditional forms of regulation are reaching the limits of their effectiveness and that new approaches to environmental law are necessary. This paper will consider how the White Paper would move beyond the limitations of existing civil liability frameworks, in particular the fundamental incompatibility between the interests recognised in English tort law and the interests at stake in environmental protection. The Commission's recent retreat from the more ambitious elements of the White Paper may be a matter of concern.


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