Applying U.S. Law to Halt Deforestation in Southeastern Myanmar: A Survey of Potential Strategies

As the twentieth century draws to a close, the threat posed by environmental degradation grows increasingly apparent. Climatic change, ozone depletion, hazardous wastes, and numerous other ecological concerns gain growing prominence in national and international policy debates. Environmental degradation causes the loss of valuable atmospheric, hydrological, geological, and biological resources. In terms of resource depletion, the rapid destruction of tropical rain forests poses one of the greatest ecological threats to our planet today. This paper proposes that proper application of United States law might discourage tropical deforestation abroad, using the nation of Myanmar (formerly Burma) as an example