The 5th edition of this Introduction sold out a few months ago. To the detriment of the interested public, it is only now that the 6th edition is being published, just before the start of a new academic year.
This new edition not only addresses the exhaustion of the previous one but also serves more significant purposes. Firstly, there have been notable changes in the regulatory framework of various environmental laws. Of particular relevance to this Introduction are updates in legislation concerning environmental impact assessment and the licensing of highly polluting facilities, necessitating an updated text. Secondly, the work has been modernised by collaborating with a co-author whose fresh perspective enriches the book. While the structure, developed over more than a decade, remains intact, the co-author has woven in new insights—sometimes more focused (as in Chapters III and VI) and sometimes more disruptive (notably in Chapters IV and V).
Thus, this book has undergone updates to reflect new legal solutions and systematic revisions, while maintaining the six-chapter format. Its primary goal remains pedagogical, with a focus on brevity to suit a semester-long course (which, in practice, is closer to a two-month term). This Introduction continues to serve its original purpose: presenting a general theory of Environmental Law and covering fundamental themes without excessive detail—more in-depth analysis and sector-specific legislation are deferred to supplementary texts. This simplified, manual-style approach, while reductive, is now supported by an essential resource: the Treatise on Environmental Law (in two volumes: Volume I – General Part; Volume II – Special Part), published in 2021. Readers seeking more detailed discussions of topics addressed here can refer to the Treatise.
Marking 30 years of teaching (commencing in October 1993), the lead author sees this 6th edition as fulfilling yet another goal: demonstrating that the key tasks of an academic are the creation and dissemination of knowledge and the cultivation of new talent to ensure ongoing and revitalised research. Following the doctoral work of Dr. Heloísa Oliveira, co-coordinator (with the lead author) of the Treatise on Environmental Law, it is deeply gratifying to now share authorship with Master Hong Cheng Leong, whose commitment to the study of Environmental Law is firmly established.
With immense happiness, the lead author sees two names on the cover of this book and two intertwined perspectives—united in the pursuit of advancing research through rigorous yet cordial debate.
It is now hoped that this book will find its place among the interested public, proving both useful and inspiring. Gratitude is extended to AAFDL for their continued trust in its publication.
This new edition not only addresses the exhaustion of the previous one but also serves more significant purposes. Firstly, there have been notable changes in the regulatory framework of various environmental laws. Of particular relevance to this Introduction are updates in legislation concerning environmental impact assessment and the licensing of highly polluting facilities, necessitating an updated text. Secondly, the work has been modernised by collaborating with a co-author whose fresh perspective enriches the book. While the structure, developed over more than a decade, remains intact, the co-author has woven in new insights—sometimes more focused (as in Chapters III and VI) and sometimes more disruptive (notably in Chapters IV and V).
Thus, this book has undergone updates to reflect new legal solutions and systematic revisions, while maintaining the six-chapter format. Its primary goal remains pedagogical, with a focus on brevity to suit a semester-long course (which, in practice, is closer to a two-month term). This Introduction continues to serve its original purpose: presenting a general theory of Environmental Law and covering fundamental themes without excessive detail—more in-depth analysis and sector-specific legislation are deferred to supplementary texts. This simplified, manual-style approach, while reductive, is now supported by an essential resource: the Treatise on Environmental Law (in two volumes: Volume I – General Part; Volume II – Special Part), published in 2021. Readers seeking more detailed discussions of topics addressed here can refer to the Treatise.
Marking 30 years of teaching (commencing in October 1993), the lead author sees this 6th edition as fulfilling yet another goal: demonstrating that the key tasks of an academic are the creation and dissemination of knowledge and the cultivation of new talent to ensure ongoing and revitalised research. Following the doctoral work of Dr. Heloísa Oliveira, co-coordinator (with the lead author) of the Treatise on Environmental Law, it is deeply gratifying to now share authorship with Master Hong Cheng Leong, whose commitment to the study of Environmental Law is firmly established.
With immense happiness, the lead author sees two names on the cover of this book and two intertwined perspectives—united in the pursuit of advancing research through rigorous yet cordial debate.
It is now hoped that this book will find its place among the interested public, proving both useful and inspiring. Gratitude is extended to AAFDL for their continued trust in its publication.
