Asian Development Bank Hosts Legal Indicators for Measuring the Effectivity of Environmental Laws and Sustainable Development Event

In response to the environmental crisis, countries have enacted domestic legislation and negotiated multilateral environmental agreements. Yet, the efficacy of these laws and agreements have been challenging for various reasons. The continuing violation and ineffective implementation of environmental laws undermine sustainable development. How can we measure the effectivity of environmental laws to ensure their effectiveness? 

The Asian Development bank (ADB) hosted an expert panel to learn about a groundbreaking and innovative method of measuring the effectivity of national and international environmental laws based on evidence-based legal indicators created by the renowned Prof. Michel Prieur. With legal indicators, governments, policy makers, legislators and other public and private actors would be able to assess accurately and concretely, on a scientific basis, what gaps, progress and setbacks in the implementation of international conventions and national laws are. The legal indicators would also serve as important tools for decision-making and well-informed law reform in ADB developing member countries. An interactive dialogue was facilitated to explore how environmental laws could be reevaluated for a sustainable future.