The Globalisation and Harmonisation of Environmental Law: An Australian Perspective

Environmental law is becoming increasingly globalised and harmonised between legal systems. The first section of this article explains how environmental law has become more globalised as a result of, first, the increasing number, scope, content and application of environmental laws, both internationally and domestically, and secondly, an expansion in the number, role and influence of international institutions focused on the environment. The second section identifies the means by which environmental law is harmonised, including through international law influencing domestic law, domestic law influencing international law, and the sharing and adoption of domestic laws between countries. The final section of the article considers how the globalisation and harmonisation of environmental law will be facilitated in the future, including the establishment of global environmental governance institutions; improved cooperation to reduce overlap in multilateral environmental agreements; greater coordination between international environmental institutions; and the growing synthesis of environmental law with other areas of law.