Hard Choices, Soft Law—Voluntary Standards In Global Trade, Environment And Social Governance

In introductory remarks to 18 chapters derived from the annual conference of the University of Toronto's EnviReform project, Kirkton (political science) and Trebilcock (law) overview the major issues and challenges of integrating trade liberalization, environmental protection, and social cohesion in a global age. Whereas formal intergovernmental efforts to address these issues have often been ineffective, voluntary standards and informal institutions have worked in supporting global governance. Academic, corporate, and government contributors discuss how such "soft law" can enhance corporate social responsibility in critical sustainability areas (e.g., the forestry sector). Perspectives are provided from developed and developing countries. Annotation c2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)