Law and Policy for Sustainable Development

LAWS8068 – Law & Policy for Sustainable Development
Question 1 (350 words: 5 marks)
The sustainable development framework has remained a fundamental component for many institutions because it guides their guidelines and visions to be consistent with the outlined global 2030 objectives. According to OECD (2016), this tool has emerged as a progressive mechanism for shaping the development of other regulations, including policies and laws in different nations. It guides the policymakers on crucial components to ensure a country integrates the primary facets for achieving the collective global goals. Its integration demonstrates its suitability in influencing policies through policy coherence.
One of the greatest strengths of the sustainable development framework is that it ensures all policies integrate the four leading components of growth – social, governance, economic, and environmental dimensions. OECD (2016) considers the alignment of policies with these aspects as part of the coherence that makes them applicable in the local contexts while respecting similar growth in other international areas. For instance, the “Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC)” in Australia integrates these elements while outlining the conservation dynamics in the nation (WWF-Australia 2022). The policy seeks to promote improved interactions with the environment and better economic prowess for the country. This policy demonstrates that it will stimulate collaborations throughout the various economic, environmental, and social policy realms for the involved parties. Such aspects illustrate the influence of the sustainable development model in its formulation.
The other influence of this framework is that it enables policy development to occur by recognizing the diversity and the responsibility of diverse stakeholders. Such an aspect is critical for allowing the different players to identify the unique trade-offs to promote seamless interaction and implementation of policies for the benefit of all involved sides (OECD 2016). Moreover, this understanding enables the policymakers to reconcile competing interests, improving coordination. This influence has led to progressive pacts between states, including the EPBC, that streamline environmental protection between diverse Australian states. Thus, the numerous strategic and guiding benefits of using a sustainable development framework in policy formulation affirm its suitability for continued use.
Question 2 (350 words: 5 marks)
Sustainable development hinges on the seamless interactions between different institutions. The United Nations Development Programme (2017) states that a single player, whether a government or an organization, remains inadequate to advance diverse visions of sustainable development. For progress to occur, various stakeholders must collaborate and coordinate, collate efforts, and support each other. Such an aspect highlights the value of coherence in implementing policies, programs, and other activities. Thus, the different government levels, including the federal, state, and local, are all fundamental to the progress toward sustainable development.
Coordination and collaboration between the various levels of government in advancing sustainable development occur in different contexts, including enforcing policies. For instance, the Clean Air Act (CAA) represents one of the most robust environmental policies in the United States, whose successful applications can only arise from seamless relationships between different stakeholders (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2022). The CAA compliance monitoring is a resource-intensive endeavor that relies on partners such as the state, tribal, and federal players. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (2022) reveals that the partners follow compliance-monitoring guidelines to ensure the mobile sources, asbestos renovations and demolitions, and acid rain inspections meet recommended metrics. This coordination ensures resources are utilized efficiently to uphold environmental air cleanliness at all levels. Without collaboration between these stakeholders, it would remain impossible for the federal players to enforce the policy at the grassroots level. Moreover, the tribal regulatory partners would be resource-deficient without the input of the state and federal governments. As a result, working as a unit facilitates the widespread implementation of CAA in the U.S.
The controlled enforcement of the CAA in the United States demonstrates the value of all levels of government working together for a common goal. Sustainable development demands the input of diverse institutions for progress and the realization of results. CAA is one example that illustrates how each stakeholder, including the federal, state, and local governments, contributes to the environmental policy’s success. Thus, this explanation proves the need for seamless coordination and collaboration.
Question 3 (350 words: 5 marks)
Modern climate law integrates diverse components for advancing the concept of sustainable development. Crowford (2019) indicates that international agreement represents one of the key aspects these laws consider critical for achieving outlined objectives and goals, including reducing emissions to rescind climate change. The author underscores the importance of these pacts as the foundation for advocating for resources and concerting efforts necessary for prompting changes. Many modern climate laws have incorporated this aspect because of the benefits that it triggers, including the reduction of emissions. However, the component also starts drawbacks through the skewed participants in the action process.
International agreements such as the Kyoto protocol highlight the advancements achieved in climate laws. The immediate success of this pact is that it has enabled many nations to commit to reducing their emissions by a significant proportion (Crowford 2019). Since the developed countries lead in the emissions, their integration and collaboration with this agreement represent a substantial benefit in the sustainable development of the environment because it contributes to clean air, water, and other facets of the environment. The participation of financially endowed nations in this call also provides resources for advancing other climate-related initiatives, agreeing to a critical addition to modern climate law. Thus, bringing like-minded states on board to promote sustainable development initiatives is a noticeable achievement.
Although international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol promotes joint implementation goals, it errs by failing to include an enforcement mechanism and overlooking the developing nations. Crowford (2019) indicates that such an international agreement should incorporate regulations to hold all players accountable and ensure everyone complies with the pact. Including such laws would challenge states to remain committed to the course and encourage them to support other nations in achieving goals such as emissions and shift to better energy alternatives. However, this drawback demonstrates the commonplace shortcoming of international agreements related to climate laws.
International agreements are influential in advancing sustainable development goals related to the environment and climate. Kyoto Protocol highlights an example of such a pact with a significant impact on this agenda through the participation of diverse players. Unfortunately, it presents disadvantages without an enforcement mechanism and excludes developing nations.
Question 4 (350 words: 5 marks)
Discourses about SDG interactions are gaining momentum because they influence the appropriate formulation of policies. For instance, the efforts to achieve one approach may support or undermine those for implementing another. In this context, implementers should remain aware of the concealed synergies and conflict when passing laws and designing programs for each SDG. For instance, Frank and Schдffler (2019) note that SDG 15 (protecting and upholding appropriate utilization o...