The International Court Of Environmental Nannyism
Dec 1, 2008 Political
A former chairman of the Bar Council is calling for an international court for the environment to punish states that fail to protect wildlife and prevent climate change. Telegraph UK
Stephen Hockman wants to have a court similar to the International Court of Justice but he wants this court to be the International Court of the Environment. The court would be responsible for forcing countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The court would also fine countries or companies around the world for failing to protect the environment and endangered species.
The last thing we need is an Environmental Court of Nannyism. We do not need to give away our rights to outside agencies. This country has laws and law enforcement agencies to deal with companies that violate the law with regard to the environment. We need to focus on real violators and stop creating rules and expectations that are nearly impossible to meet, have little or no benefit, and drive costs way up.
This hair brained idea is being presented to a symposium at the British Library and no doubt there will be morons that sign on to it. This would be a huge mistake. Giving away our sovereignty is not the correct thing to do. Our courts and our system of laws can best address the issues faced within our boundaries.
As with any bureaucratic program, this idea has the potential to create havoc and cause misery that will be beyond our control and leave us no avenue for redress. How far will these people go? Will they go after the states (or other geographic areas) within nation states? Will they try to ban hunting because it involves killing animals? Will they refocus on individuals who they believe are not living up to the arbitrary standards they will impose?
Our country is a sovereign nation and we have rights that are guaranteed under our Constitution. Those rights should not be decided by a bunch of nannies sitting in the Hague.
If you enjoy what you read consider signing up to receive email notification of new posts. There are several options in the sidebar and I am sure you can find one that suits you. If you prefer, consider adding this site to your favorite feed reader.
Tags: court, environment, nanny state, nannyism, state's rights