How and why is the environment protected? - BBC Learning English

Summary

This video explores the growing threat of environmental disasters and how laws are evolving to protect nature. It examines the distinction between soft and hard environmental laws, international treaties like the Paris Agreement, and the legal recognition of nature's rights, such as rivers being granted personhood. The discussion includes examples like climate change's impact on the Mekong Delta and pollution in the Ganges. While laws can't fully prevent environmental damage, they provide tools for protection, human rights defense, and international cooperation to safeguard future generations.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Environmental disasters are a new and significant threat to humanity.
• ⚖️ The law is adapting to protect the environment, but many challenges remain.
• 🌳 There are debates about whether nature can have legal rights, and how laws made for humans can be applied to protect nature.
• 🔥 Human activity is changing the world, causing extreme floods, droughts, and wildfires across continents.
• 🌎 International laws, like those sponsored by the UN, target issues like climate change, biodiversity, and endangered species protection.
• 📜 There are two types of environmental laws: soft laws (non-binding political commitments) and hard laws (binding legal agreements).
• 👩‍⚖️ Human rights laws don't explicitly address the environment, but many rights depend on a healthy environment to be fully enjoyed.
• 🌱 In 2021, 69 countries agreed to create an international law to protect environmental rights, though political commitment is still lacking.
• 🚨 The Paris Agreement allows countries to set their own climate goals, promoting cooperation while giving states flexibility.
• 🏞️ Legal rights have been given to rivers in places like India and Colombia, where guardianship commissions have been created to protect them.

Q & A

What is the main threat discussed in the video script?

The main threat discussed is environmental disasters caused by human activity, which include climate change, extreme floods, droughts, and wildfires.

How are laws evolving to protect the environment?

Laws are adapting by recognizing the need to protect the environment through international treaties, regulations, and commitments aimed at preserving biodiversity, controlling pollutants, and addressing climate change.

What is the difference between soft laws and hard laws?

Soft laws are political commitments that are not legally binding, while hard laws are binding legal obligations. States can be held accountable for violating hard laws.

How do human rights relate to environmental protection?

Human rights, such as the right to life and security, depend on a healthy environment. Without clean air, water, and a safe environment, people cannot fully enjoy their civil, political, economic, and cultural rights.

Are there any international laws specifically protecting the environment?

While there is no single, global law that covers all aspects of environmental protection, various treaties and agreements, like the Paris Agreement on climate change, address specific environmental issues.

What role does the Paris Agreement play in environmental protection?

The Paris Agreement sets goals for addressing climate change but allows countries to decide how to achieve these goals, fostering global cooperation without mandating specific actions.

Can a country sue another for environmental damage?

Yes, if a country can prove that another country caused significant environmental harm, like flooding, it can take legal action against the responsible state.

What was the legal experiment with the Ganges River in India?

For 109 days, the Ganges River was declared a legal person with rights, similar to a child, and a board was appointed to represent its interests. However, the government eventually discontinued this due to jurisdictional issues.

Have there been successful cases of giving rivers legal rights?

Yes, in Colombia, a river was granted legal rights, and a commission of guardians was created to protect the river, which has proven successful in improving its condition and benefiting the people who rely on it.

What is the major obstacle in implementing environmental laws?

The major obstacle is the lack of political commitment, even though there is growing agreement to create laws that recognize environmental rights.