Hard Choices, Soft Law

'A central premise of this collection is that informal and voluntary standards can mitigate the deficiencies of formal international law and organizations in several areas including sustainable development and the global environment. The editors refer to these standards as soft law as opposed to hard law (e.g. treaties). The contributors, a first-rate mixture of academics and practitioners and some authors who can be considered both, offer the reader much food for thought on how and when soft law can contribute to regional and global governance...This volume will interest academics and government officials alike.' Jonathan R. Strand, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA 'Practitioners might not consider this an immediately relevant book to them, but it represents an important collection of thinking about how the very nature of the law itself is already changing to meet new world patterns. It is not, therefore, a book to be lightly ignored.' Environmental Law & Management '...this is an important collection of essays that deserves to be carefully read by sholars interested in the dynamics of labor and environmental regulations and standards in the global economy.' The Law and Politics Book Review '...the book is structured in an intelligible and innovative way...The main strengths of the book lie in the breadth of case studies presented and in its much-valued interdisciplinary approach. The contributors' expertise and areas of interest offer a truly global approach to the problématique...' Political Studies Review 'This publication has many assets. Firstly, it is fundamentally a good read. Each author presents an insightful, interesting and thought-provoking discussion for their chosen topic...The sections and forming chapters flow well to provide a sense of continuity...The presentation of the Talisman case, perhaps an episode Canada would rather forget, is a valuable contrast and a worthy inclusion in the book.' European Environmental Law Review '...gives a g