Includes bibliographical references (pages 351-421) and index.

Part 1. The Emergence and Evolution of a New Human Right. -- 1. Constitutions, Human Rights, and the Environment : The Context -- 2. The Right to a Healthy Environment : framing the Issues -- 3. The Prevalence and Enforceability of Environmental Provisions in National Constitutions -- 4. The Influence of International Law -- Part 2. The Constitutional Right to a Healthy Environment in Practice -- 5. A Framework for Assessing the Legal Influence of the Right to a Healthy Environment -- 6. Latin America and the Caribbean -- 7. Africa -- 8. Asia -- 9. Eastern Europe -- 10. Western Europe -- Part 3. Evaluating the Impacts of Environmental Provisions in Constitutions. -- 11. Lessons Learned : Practical Experiences with the Right to a Healthy Environment -- 12. Do Environmental Provisions in Constitutions Influence Environmental Performance? -- 13. An Idea Whose Time Has Come.

The right to a healthy environment has been the subject of extensive philosophical debates that revolve around the question: Should rights to clean air, water, and soil be entrenched in law? David Boyd answers this by moving beyond theoretical debate to measure the practical effects of enshrining the right in constitutions. His pioneering analysis of 193 constitutions and the laws and court decisions of more than 100 nations in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa reveals a positive correlation between constitutional protection and stronger environmental laws, smaller ecological footprints, superior environmental performance, and improved quality of life.

Also issued in electronic format.

Self-Renewing 2017 UoY