Law, economics and the environment: A comparative study of environmental management systems

Environmental management systems (EMS) first appeared in North America in the 1970s and are now widely used by commercial companies and other organisations in all parts of the developed world. Although various systems exist, the most important are ISO 14001 and the European Union's EMAS. This paper examines these systems, outlines their respective strengths and weaknesses, and discusses their varying popularity in different countries.