The major responsibility of the legislative branch is to develop and approve policies and laws. The major responsibility of the judicial branch is to interpret laws. The major responsibility of the executive branch is to lead members of Congress and the people they represent toward respect for and appreciation of the quality of their surroundings.
Enforcement policies have focused on a “command and control” approach in which restrictive and highly specific legislation are implemented by centralized authorities and used to achieve narrowly defined ends.
Environmental law is governed by administrative law, which defines how governmental organizations develop and implement regulatory programs. All actions of federal agencies must comply the 1946 Administrative Procedure Act.
“Eco-conflicts” between the industrialized North and the developing South may pose a comparable challenge to world peace. Issues include transboundary water supply, pollution, acid precipitation, and global climate change.
The modern environmental movement had its start with Earth Day I in 1970. As a result of this demonstration, the government
made great strides in tackling many environmental issues. The Reagan Administration and economic hard-times resulted in reduced interest in environmental issues in the mid-1980's. A renewed interest in the environment began with the second Earth Day held in 1990. Also at this time, the number of and membership in nongovernment environmental organizations increased. By 1995, however, these
organizations had become large and bureaucratized, and lost many members. This was offset by an increase in small, local, grassroots organizations and international organizations. Anti-environmental backlash began to grow in 1995, and led to such groups as the "wise-use" movement. Today, there is increased interest in global environmentalism.
Many developing nations have resource-poor or ineffective governments which lead to the private sector controlling the
resource and policies. NGO's with different goals are joining together to advance environmentally sound economic development.
International conventions and treaties include the 1972 United Nations Conference in Stockholm, the 1982 Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, the Antarctic Treaty of 1961, the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, and the 1989 Accord on Chlorofluorocarbon Emissions.
