Governments, companies, environmental associations and citizens all over the European Union (EU) are struggling with large scale projects. On the one hand large scale projects can contribute to economic development, on the other hand they often also raise environmental concerns. Because of their size and potential impact, large scale projects usually lead to heavy debates and quickly become of great symbolic value. Consequently, large scale projects are excellent examples of the difficulty to balance economic development with environmental protection. The types of large scale projects, planned as well as 'under construction' in the EU, are very diverse. One can think of all kinds of infrastructure projects (motorways, railways, waterways, stations, ports, airports, ...), building projects (offices, housing projects, sports stadiums, redevelopment of brownfields, ...), waste projects (incineration, landfill, ...), energy projects (electricity and gas networks, wind farms, biogas installations, heat networks, extraction projects, ...), climate projects (CDM projects, ...), water projects, etc. In order to promote the legal thinking about all kinds of environmental and planning law aspects of large scale projects, Hasselt University and KU Leuven, Campus Brussels jointly hosted from 10 to 12 September 2014 the second European Environmental Law Forum (EELF) Conference, with as central topic Environmental and Planning Law Aspects of Large Scale Projects". The conference focused more specifically on the following aspects: -The role of spatial and environmental planning -Permitting and review procedures -Critical sectoral regimes -Horizontal measures. This book offers a selection of the contributions presented at the EELF Conference. They have all been submitted to two double-blind peer reviews. The book is subdivided into six main themes: 1. General 2. Public participation 3. Environmental impact assessment 4. Water 5. Nature 6. Land use."

Governments, companies, environmental associations and citizens all over the EU are struggling with large scale projects. On the one hand large scale projects can contribute to economic development, on the other hand they often also raise environmental concerns. Consequently, large scale projects are excellent examples of the difficulty in balancing economic development with environmental protection. In order to promote the legal thinking about all kinds of environmental and planning law aspects of large scale projects, the second European Environmental Law Forum (EELF) Conference was held in September 2014. The conference's central topic was "Environmental and Planning Law Aspects of Large Scale Projects," with a focus on: the role of spatial and environmental planning; permitting and review procedures; critical sectoral regimes; and horizontal measures. (Series: European Environmental Law Forum, Vol. 2) Subject: Environmental Law, Economic Law]

A critical and contextual overview of European environmental law examining today's key environmental challenges alongside traditional topics.

This comprehensive Research Handbook discusses how the EU has used its regulatory power to steer towards environmentally friendly behaviour, delving into the deep concerns related to the compliance with and enforcement of EU environmental law. It also highlights the important role of civil society’s use of environmental procedural rights, and characterizes how the CJEU case law has contributed to the effective implementation of EU environmental legislation.

This comparative book explores the dynamics driving how courts across Europe and beyond understand and analyse scientific information in nature conservation. The Habitats and the Birds Directives-the core of EU nature conservation law-are usually seen as the most 'uniform' parts of EU environmental law. This book analyses the case law from 11 current and former EU Member States' courts and explores the dynamics of how, and crucially why, their understandings of scientific uncertainty on the one hand, and EU environmental principles on the other, vary. The courts' scope and depth of review, access to scientific knowledge, and scientific literacy all influence such decisions-as does their interpretation of norms and principles. How have the courts evaluated scientific evidence, encompassing its essential uncertainties? This book answers this and many more questions pertinent to EU environmental law, comparative environmental law, administrative law, and STS studies. Co-edited by experienced leaders in the field, and with outstanding contributors, this book is an essential guide to the dynamics of nature conservation law.

This book explores the interconnections between world politics and non-human nature to overcome the anthropocentric boundaries that characterize the field of international relations. By gathering contributions from various perspectives, ranging from post-humanism and ecological modernization, to new materialism and post-colonialism, it conceptualizes the embeddedness of world politics in non-human nature, and proposes a reorientation of political practice to better address the challenges posed by climate change and the deterioration of the Earth’s ecosystems. The book is divided into two main parts, the first of which addresses new ways of theoretically conceiving the relationship between non-human nature and world politics. In turn, the second presents empirical investigations into specific case studies, including studies on state actors and international organizations and bodies. Given its scope and the new perspectives it shares, this edited volume represents a uniquely valuable contribution to the field.

This timely book brings to the foreground the considerable tensions between the need to engage the public in the importance of environmental governance and the need of professional expertise to address the issues which arise. In doing so, it highlights that not only can public opinion deviate from scientific knowledge, but scientific knowledge itself can be lacunose or contradicting. Drawing together insights from some of the leading scholars, this engaging work will provide guidance to decision makers, including judges, on how to govern public participation procedures and professional expertise and the role that the precautionary principle can play in this regard.