United Kingdom environmental law

Wind power in the United Kingdom was the source of around 3% of total electricity generation in 2009.

United Kingdom environmental law concerns the protection of the environment in the United Kingdom. Environmental law is increasingly a European and an international issue, due to the cross border issues of air and water pollution, and man made climate change.

History

In the common law, the primary protection was found in the law of nuisance, but this only allowed for private actions for damages or injunctions if there was harm to land. Thus smells emanating from pig stys,[1] strict liability against dumping rubbish,[2] or damage from exploding dams.[3] Private enforcement, however, was limited and found to be woefully inadequate to deal with major environmental threats, particularly threats to common resources. During the "Great Stink" of 1858, the dumping of sewerage into the River Thames began to smell so ghastly in the summer heat that Parliament had to be evacuated. Ironically, the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers Act 1848 had allowed the Metropolitan Commission for Sewers to close cesspits around the city in an attempt to "clean up" but this simply led people to pollute the river. In 19 days, Parliament passed a further Act to build the London sewerage system. London also suffered from terrible air pollution, and this culminated in the "Great Smog" of 1952, which in turn triggered its on legislative response: the Clean Air Act 1956. The basic regulatory structure was to set limits on emissions for households and business (particularly burning coal) while an inspectorate would enforce compliance.

Environmental protection

Pollution

Wildlife

Conservation

Climate change

European and international law

See also

References

  1. ↑ Aldred's Case (1610) 9 Co Rep 57b; (1610) 77 ER 816
  2. ↑ R v Stephens (1866) LR 1 QB 702
  3. ↑ Rylands v Fletcher [1868] UKHL 1
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