the rule of law in times of ecological collapse
http://www.nationofchange.org/rule-law-times-ecological-collapse-1366642895With mass species die-offs, threats to human food supplies, toxicity of air and water, along with deforestation and ocean destruction and the justifiably dominant concern of climate change causing long-term droughts, floods, and extreme storms, the rule of law needs to be applied to the environment. The Green Shadow Cabinet will make putting in place the rule of law a top priority.
In 1970 the National Environmental Policy Act, signed by President Nixon, took effect. The law seeks: “To declare national policy which will encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environment; to promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and biosphere and stimulate the health and welfare of man; to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources important to the Nation..."
We must now make this law a reality. Since 1970 the law has been manipulated by big business and government to allow environmentally damaging projects to go forward. NEPA required an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before government actions but the failure of this process is evident when the State Department is on the verge of finding the Keystone XL Pipeline has no significant environmental impact even though James Hansen, one of the leading climate experts in the world, describes tapping into the Alberta Tar Sands as “game over for the planet” putting the Earth over the tipping point for climate change.
A process that concludes “game over for the planet” is not a significant environmental impact, it is a broken process. Obviously, climate change impact must be part of an environmental review.
*** i would just like to get some semblance of the rule of law working again in this country -- i wouldn't trust our current elites to work on a law in a time of ecological collapse.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I mean, if this current situation now, which really isn't all that bad compared to what could be happening, TBH, is called "ecological collapse" by many of the more paranoid factions of the environmentalist movement, I'd hate to think what could happen with this minority if something terribly bad actually does happen(not impossible, sadly, especially if we keep burning fossil fuels at the current ever-increasing rate, which would take us to about 4-4.5*C by 2100; not the end of humanity, but something to be avoided for sure).
Anyway, apologies for that little tangent, but with that little criticism aside, it will be a wonderful day when the EPA finally gets some real teeth again. The tipping point has pretty much arrived in this regard, that something WILL be done, as many countries, especially Bolivia and Iceland(examples to follow, IMO!), have really woken up. Though, for all our sakes, let's hope that it comes sooner, rather than later(if, for no other reason, to get the doomers to shut their nutty traps and so that we can all breathe fresh air and not have to worry about oil or gas-slicked water anymore. 
).
