Offerspsychologicalinsightsintohowpeopleperceive,respondto,value,andmakedecisionsabouttheenvironmentEnvironmentallawmayseemastrangespacetoseekinsightsfrompsychology.Psychology,afterall,seekstoilluminatetheinteriorofthehumanmind,whileenvironmentallawisfundamentallyconcernedwiththeexteriorsurroundings--theenvironment--inwhichpeoplelive.Yetpsychologyisacrucial,undervaluedfactorinhowlawsshapepeople’sinteractionswiththeenvironment.Psychologycanofferenvironmentallawarich,empiricallyinformedaccountofwhy,when,andhowpeopleactinwaysthataffecttheenvironment--whichcanthenbeusedtomoreeffectivelypursuespecificpolicygoals.Whenenvironmentallawfailstoincorporateinsightsfrompsychology,itrisksmisunderstandingandmispredictinghumanbehaviorsthatmayinjureorotherwiseaffecttheenvironment,andmisprescribinglegaltoolstoshapeormitigatethosebehaviors.ThePsychologyofEnvironmentalLawprovideskeyinsightsregardinghowpsychologycaninform,explain,andimprovehowenvironmentallawoperates.Itoffersconcreteanalysesofthetheoreticalandpracticalpayoffsinpollutioncontrol,ecosystemmanagement,andclimatechangelawandpolicywhenpsychologicalinsightsaretakenintoaccount.
