Table of Contents

Foreword by Thomas R. Berger, O.C., Q.C.

Preface and Acknowledgments

Acronyms

Part One: Examination

1. Canada’s Environmental Record

2. Water

2.1. Drinking Water

2.2. Water Pollution

2.3. Water Use and Conservation

2.4. Water Exports

3. Air

3.1. Ozone Depletion

3.2. Climate Change

3.3. Air Pollution

4. Land

4.1. Pesticide Regulation

4.2. Forest Management

4.3. Environmental Assessment

5. Biodiversity

5.1. Parks and Protected Areas

5.2. Endangered Species

5.3. Marine Biodiversity

Part Two: Diagnosis

6. The Strengths and Weaknesses of Canadian Environmental Law and Policy

7. Reasons for Environmental Progress

8. Systemic Weaknesses

9. Obstacles to Further Progress

10. Root Causes of Environmental Degradation

Part Three: Prescription

11. New Directions for Canadian Environmental Law and Policy

12. A New Role Model for Canada

13. Reducing Consumption

14. Population Growth and Sustainable Development

15. Conclusion

Notes

References

Index

About the Author

David R. Boyd is an environmental lawyer, professor, and former executive director of the Sierra Legal Defence Fund. He is the editor of Northern Wild: Best Contemporary Canadian Nature Writing, and lives on Pender Island, BC.

Reviews

Unnatural Law is one of the most significant books on Canadian environmental law ever published, and it will likely become the standard reference work in this subject for the next decade .. Unnatural Law is a meticulously researched, informative and persuasive work. It combines careful attention to detail with an infallible eye for the big picture. The gift of this book is that whilst documenting a litany of failures, it also is forward-thinking and optimistic about how the system can adapt to changing demands and values. Unnatural Law sets a new standardfor scholarship on Canadian environmental law.--The Journal of Environmental Law and Practice

Environmental lawyer David Boyd has produced an impressive, accessibleoverview of the current state of environmental law and policy in Canada, framed as a call to action .. It is the first text in a decade to give the lay of the land on environmental policy in Canada and it does an impressive job .. This book is a strong primer on Canadian environmental policy and it would make an excellent text for undergraduate courses on the subject.--Alternatives Journal

The comprehensiveness of this book is mind-boggling .. this book presents a fantastic resource for all Canadians, including both battle-scarred environmental lawyers and those newly discovering the poor state of Canada's environmental laws and policies.--The Legal Eye