This insightful book explores why implementation of environmental law is too often ineffective in achieving effective environmental governance. It provides careful analysis and innovative proposals to help improve the practical effectiveness of legal instruments for environmental governance. A growing number of organisations including the IUCN, UNEP and the Organisation of American States have voiced concerns that legal instruments that were developed to pursue more convincing environmental governance over the last 40 years are not creating a sufficiently potent system of environmental governance. In response to this challenge, this timely book explores how to bridge the significant implementation gap between the objectives of environmental law and the real-world outcomes of its application. Expert contributors discuss different forms of law, from international conventions down to inter-parties agreements, and non-government codes and standards. The overarching discussion highlights the diverse factors that impact upon implementing environmental law in practice, and considers the limitations and opportunities for constructive innovation in legal governance. This book is a comprehensive reference point for scholars and policy-makers, shedding light on how to achieve significant improvements in the effective application of environmental law.