This week, as part of the Rio+20 summit in Brazil, over 200
judges, prosecutors, attorneys and legal experts gathered at the
World Congress on Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental
Sustainability. Issues discussed during the three-day meeting
included new legal approaches to increase the effectiveness of
global environmental agreements and combating transnational
environmental crime. While the focus on the role of law in
environmental protection is laudable, a reality check is in
order here. At the international and national levels, a plethora
of laws relating to the environment already exist. The problem
is that all too often they are not enforced. An honest appraisal
of the reasons behind this failure is needed, but the main
factors – lack of political will and corruption – make for
uncomfortable discussions at international conferences. Half a
world away from Rio, the town of Mong Cai in northern Vietnam is
a glaring example of unrestrained environmental crime in action.
Lying on the border with th