ARTICLES

Reimagining water law for the Anthropocene: reflections from India
SUJITH KOONAN  
Centre for International Legal Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Anthropocene challenges with respect to water are many. Water law is expected to rise to the occasion to ensure conservation, reasonable use and equitable distribution to all living beings, including future generations. In this context, this article analyses the paradigmatic features of key doctrines and principles pertaining to regulation, management and conservation of water with a special emphasis on India for illustrative purposes. It argues that the existing water law is human-centric, property-oriented and developmentalist in nature so that there is little scope for ensuring respect for nature and for meeting the requirements of social justice and human rights. The article goes on to review certain emerging concepts and ideas that could be the basis of a new paradigm.

Water pollution regulation in Mongolia
UNDRAKH BANZRAGCH 
PhD student, School of Law, Wuhan University

This  article  aims  to  analyse  the  legal  approaches  to  water protection and pollution control in Mongolia, focusing on the ambiguous  substantive  obligation,  inefficient  regulatory  cooperation,  and  absence  of  incentive-based  mechanisms  for effective  implementation  and  enforcement.  It  argues  for  a reform of existing approaches by addressing identified gaps and shortcomings, drawing insights from relevant legal approaches in China.

Progress in improving the natural environment in England: OEP Report 2024
DAVID POCKLINGTON 
Honorary Research Fellow, Centre for Law & Religion, Cardiff Law School

On 19 January 2024 the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) reported on the UK Government’s progress in improving the natural environment between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, the first period to be covered by the Environment Act 2021. This article offers an overview of the OEP’s report and its recommendations, demonstrating that while some progress has been made,considerable challenges remain, with the government largely off track to meet Environment Act targets and other commitments.

CASE COMMENTARY

River management programmes: generic goals not good enough
R (on the application of Pickering Fishery Association) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
ROSALIND ENGLISH 
Academic Consultant, 1 Crown Office Row

STRATEGIC ISSUES –SCOTLAND
PROFESSOR SARAH HENDRY
Dundee Law School & UNESCO Centre for Water Law Policy and Science, University of Dundee

NEWS –UK 

STOP PRESS - Supreme Court - The Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd (Appellant) v United Utilities Ltd