Making Law Work begins with the widely accepted premise that sustainable development depends upon good governance and that the rule of law is a necessary component. Pointing out that the role of compliance is often insufficiently appreciated, it calls for strengthening compliance by empowering key actors, including civil society, developing new analytical tools, and building the capacity of both regulators and those they regulate. Individual chapters highlight the roles and experiences of specific actors and institutions, including Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), regulators, courts, and civil society. In addition, they evaluate various tools and strategies employed by these actors, including inspections, monitoring, sanctions, emissions-trading, public disclosure, and compliance assistance. This discussion concludes with a chapter on how public agencies, with their limited resources, chose between the wide range of tools and strategies available to address an array of environmental problems. Chapter 3 includes discussion of the Aarhus Convention's compliance mechanism.
