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1 Envtl. Pol'y & L. 1 (1975-1976)

handle is hein.journals/envpola1 and id is 1 raw text is: 






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      Since its creation in 1969, the International Council of Environ-
 mental Law  (ICEL) has sought in numerous ways  to fulfil its function
 of developing the exchange of information on legal, administrative and
 policy aspects of environmental conservation. One means of such com-
 munication which  has been considered is the publication of an environ-
 mental journal. Opinions have differed, however, as to the need for
 such a journal and what it should be like.
      As the product of much thought and preliminary work,  the format
 chosen is not quite that of a journal, nor that of a magazine, but some-
 thing of a compromise between  the two. We mean  to be read, and we
 mean to be useful, and we will do our best to keep our readers inter-
 ested in the materials we present. Our purpose, though, is not to enter-
 tain, nor to inform those who would like to be well-rounded. Rather,
 we see our audience as a special group of persons who are actively
 involved with problems of environmental law and policy. At the same
 time, we do not seek to create a scholarly journal, where experts speak
 to experts over their common expertise. Our central purpose is to
 report and analyze developments which should be of international
 interest - to inform those active in the environmental field in one
 country of the theories and practices being developed in other coun-
 tries or at the international level. In short, we hope that ICEL's new
 journal will serve as a means of communication among decisionmakers
 around the world.
      The environmental problems  which face law and policy makers
are sometimes  of global impact and, even when on a more local scale,
are often comparable from  one country to another. For example, the
industrialized countries must deal with similar problems of air pollution
and  rising energy consumption; developing countries confront crises
in food production and  depletion of natural resources; and vitually all
nations are witnessing a more or less rapid urbanization process which
is upsetting many features of the human and natural environment. The
experience of one nation in seeking to manage such problems may offer
valuable lessons to decisionmakers elsewhere. A comparison of the
experience of several nations may reveal possibilities for cooperation
to the benefit of all.
      We see this journal as a contribution to the cause of environmental
protection. Nonetheless, we do not intend to publish only material
which  appears to be pro-environment. Perceptive attacks on environ-
mentalist efforts and well-reasoned defenses of anti-environmental
policies will find space in the ICEL journal. Those who would defend
the environment  might then be prepared to reply, and also to rethink
their positions, if necessary.
   Environmental  Policy and Law is somewhat  of an experiment, aimed
to determine whether  the sort of communicative effort envisioned will
find acceptance and prove to be of value. The reaction of ICEL's mem-
bers to the proposal to create a journal was largely supportive, and we
have found  ample materials we feel are worthy of publication. Now we
come  to another stage of the experiment, at which the journal will meet
its audience. In this connection we will welcome your response, be it in
the form of a subscription, a letter to the editor or submission of an ar-
ticle for publication - either in reply to something published here or on
an independent  subject. Your participation will be the life of this journal.
Environmental Policy and Law, 1 (1975)


EDI~fTRIAL


LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR



   (We might have been forgiven delet-
 ing this section in our first issue, since
 readers would understand that, not
 having published before, we wouldn't
 yet have received the laudatory, compli-
 mentary, angry and outraged responses
 that normally fill a Letters to the Editor
 column. However, we have received
 many letters from ICEL members com-
 menting on plans for this journal. Most,
 but not all, of these letters have been
 supportive and encouraging. We reprint
 a selection below, with the writers'
 initials. In future, letters will be printed
 only over the writer's name. It is hoped
 that this section will become an open
 forum for discussion of environmental
 issues.)


   I am delighted to hear that the
 Council intends to publish a journal of
 environmental affairs. . . . It is a tremen-
 dous undertaking, but because of the
 genuine need of it, and because of the
 Council membership's expertise in the
 field, the prognosis is good. . . .
                            L.A.T.

   Je pense que l'expirience doit 6tre
tentde. Je pense aussi qu'elle doit avoir
comme  caractbre principal, la vulgarisa-
tion de principes de droit, et I'inventaire
de ce qui a dtd obtenu dans certains
grands pays, grace A I'application de
cette nouvelle 16gislation.
                            C.V.E.

   I was very interested to hear about
the prospective journal of environmen-
tal affairs and will look forward to
seeing it when it appears.
                           A.L.S.

   This project seems to me most
interesting, especially if it is framed by
certain principles. . . . I strongly believe
that one of the most serious aspects of
the environmental problem is the gap
between thoughts and acts, between
those who think and formulate policies
and those who are the decisionmakers
in each country. . . . The journal must be
clear and frank with governments,

              (continued on page 40)
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