Access to Justice in Environmental Matters and the Role of NGOs; Empirical Findings and Legal Appraisal

This book is based on the findings of a research study on Access to Justice in Environmental Matters that the European Commission has commissioned in 2002 in order to provide input on the preparation of a proposal for a Directive on access to justice. In particular, the book is aimed to assess recent developments and the current situation concerning NGOs' access to justice in environmental matters in a certain number of member states, and in particular to obtain empirical data on the number of cases brought by environmental associations. The concluding chapter discusses the benefits of NGO court actions and the contribution this makes to environmental law and its enforcement.