Transboundary environmental problems defeat decentralized local control

Evidence

There are, nevertheless, significant countervailing factors associated with this decentralization emphasis that are problematic for environmental lawmaking. The most significant stumbling block is that the vast spatial and temporal boundaries of many environmental problems do not readily lend themselves to local control. The issues involved are transboundary in character. The risks posed are not confined to a single political jurisdiction, and a narrowly bounded regulatory authority cannot provide an effective remedy for their redress. To the extent, moreover, that both the risks and possible remedies are likely to persist over time, a more centralized approach is apt to achieve the long-term perspective and resources needed to devise and maintain an effective legal remedy. — Richard J. Lazarus, The Making of Environmental Law, 187

Categorization

• XREF: Ties directly to the ch1 point that geochemical cycles cause ecological harm to spill across jurisdictions — this is the institutional consequence of that natural spillover. — connects to: Decentralized regulation rationally pushes states to export pollution across borders — Richard J. Lazarus, The Making of Environmental Law, 188; Decentralised coordination need not mean Stalinist centralisation — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk: The Collected and Unpublished…, 2231; Delaying deforestation response until harm is local triggers runaway degradation (+4 more)
• recurring: this claim recurs 2 times within its source

Broader Connections

• Heterarchical, distributed control can outperform strict hierarchy under changing conditions. #contradicts (0.85) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 113
• Delaying deforestation response until harm is local triggers runaway degradation #expands (0.80)
• Local governments close to the environment hold expertise and accountability advantages #contradicts (0.78) — Richard J. Lazarus, The Making of Environmental Law, 186
• Decentralised coordination need not mean Stalinist centralisation #expands (0.75) — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk, 2231
• High stakes and good intentions do not overcome commons coordination failures #corroborates (0.75)
• Environmental politics needs a third path between local experiments and macro-association #responds-to (0.72) — Yves Citton, The Ecology of Attention, 349