Environmental laws are a comprehensive body of legal frameworks, including treaties, statutes, and regulations, designed to protect the natural environment and manage human impact on resources and ecosystems. This critical field addresses issues like pollution control, biodiversity protection, and climate change mitigation, aiming to balance environmental preservation with economic and social needs. The discipline significantly emerged in the mid-20th century as industrialization spurred global awareness, leading to landmark agreements such as the 1972 Stockholm Conference and 1992 Rio Declaration, which established core principles like "polluter pays" and the "precautionary principle."
Internationally, key treaties like the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and 2015 Paris Agreement address transboundary environmental issues, while nationally, laws such as the UK's Clean Air Act 1956 and the US Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 set specific regulations. Enforcement, often involving governmental agencies and environmental impact assessments, remains crucial. The field continuously evolves to tackle persistent challenges like reconciling economic growth with sustainability and addressing emerging crises such as biodiversity loss and plastic pollution.