Killing the Proverbial Two Birds with One Stone: New Ways to Expand the Comparative Law Methodological Repertoire and Enhance the Effectiveness of Inter-Jurisdictional Environmental Governance Regimes

Abstract

Comparative legal analysis, which was once deemed to be an esoteric and peripheral academic and professional activity, has significantly grown in scope and sophistication. However, its progress has not manifested itself equally across the board. Comparative law still lacks a solid methodological foundation and does not systematically address this gap by borrowing appropriate tools from other disciplines. There is no dearth of predominantly qualitative social science techniques that are suitable for the task. Some are more robust than others but, as the dissection of the Southern China governance regime for combating transboundary pollution illustrates, recourse to even the most rudimentary ones may yield valuable insights.