Abstract

Environmental Law is one of the national level college and university textbooks which are organized and edited by the Ministry of Education during the tenth five-year plan.

The book is composed of 12 chapters, presenting a systematic exposition of the general conceptions, basic principles, basic institutions of environmental law and the main contents of specific environmental and resources protection law. Additionally, through comparative studies the book thoroughly analyses the newest development of environmental legislation of foreign countries and districts as well as some theoretic issues of modern environmental law.

The first chapter, the General Introduction, mainly expounds several basic theoretic issues of environmental law, including the relationship and difference of the conception of environment and other relevant conceptions; the causes of formation and solutions of environmental problems; The conception and object of science of environmental law; the historical observation of science of environmental law; the status of science of environmental law in the science of law system and the study method of science of environmental law.

Part Ⅰ, General Theories of Environmental Law, mainly expounds the conception of environmental law, the evolution and formation of environmental law, basic thoughts and principles of environmental law, environmental basic law, fundamental institutions of environmental law and environmental administrative organizations.

Part II, Specific Theories of Environmental Law, mainly expounds the legislative background, actuality, problems of China's existing environmental pollution prevention and treatment law, the natural conservation law, the matter circle management law, the energy conservation law, the environmental tort law and environmental criminal law. It also articulates the concrete contents of specific environmental and resources protection law, and correspondingly compares them with foreign countries' environmental law. In addition, it expounds the conception of international environmental law, the main contents of international environmental law and the practices of international environmental law in China.

The science of environmental law（in the classification of China's science of law it is called“environmental and resources protection law”）is an emerging and edged cross-discipline of science of law, therefore, on the basic of expounding the basic conception, knowledge and theory of environmental law, the book designedly establishes relevant case studies, tables and columns to analyze and explain the difficult questions of environmental law.

Furthermore, the book establishes contents introduction and study purpose in the beginning of each chapter, and abstract of the chapter, questions and discussion and Suggested Reading after each chapter. In the end of the textbook there are three appendixes, they are list of environmental and resources protection laws, regulations and judicial explanations involved in the book, list of important international environmental treaties（declarations or conventions）and introduction of famous environmental NGOs. It also has an index for the readers to further study and understand environmental law.