Description
Book SynopsisEnvironmental law can be made preventive and efficient, and it can enlist willing compliance before using the punishing hand, creating a constructive relationship between the governing and the governed. The “adversarial” relationship for which environmental regulation is famous is appropriate for those unwilling to comply, but not appropriate for the many well-meaning regulated entities.
This book explains how these, and other principles of reformed environmental law have been demonstrated successfully but the lessons of success have not been learned. The approach of the book is to collate examples of environmental governance, policy-making and ethics and demonstrate paths towards a more progressive environmental and climate agenda.
Trade ReviewRick Reibstein knows how to make government regulation work for business and society. He has brought needed change to manufacturing shop floors and back-room deliberations of policy makers. When he says we can use government to bring about a most sustainable society, we can trust him. In his book, he lays out some of the steps we need to take.
-- Andrew King, Boston University
This book is for the pragmatic optimist who knows a more sustainable future will require radical collaborations. You will read about Rick Reibstein’s purposeful career of constantly forging radical public private collaborations to repair and protect our common environment. Rick embraces the principle of democracy where individual (corporate) rights and public responsibilities is an indivisible concept. With his stories we see how a responsive environmental governance, through innovative programs and good regulations, can encourage creative solutions leading to better outcomes. It is almost as if the UN Sustainable Development Goal 17, calling for partnerships to address the most vexing problems of climate change, diminished ecosystem, and soul crushing disparities, was modeled on Rick’s career.
-- John D. Spengler, Harvard University
Table of ContentsPreface
1. The Facts Have Spoken: We Can Do It
2. The Government of Us
3. A Story from the Front
4. The Story That Poisoned Our Well
5. The Big Picture
6. Anticipatory Governance
7. The Quality of Our Awareness: Envisioning Future Programs, Remembering Forgotten Ones
8. An Equitable System
9. The Fixer-Upper
10. Transforming Systems
11. Endnote
Appendix: Addenda to the Agenda
About the Author
