New publication: Environmental Law: The Living Handbook, a living manual for a discipline in transformation

The Manuel Ballbé Chair in Human Security and Global Law celebrates the publication of the book Environmental Law: The Living Handbook (Autonomous University of Barcelona, 2026), a collective and innovative work coordinated by Joaquín Rodríguez Álvarez , researcher of the Chair and member of its Board of Directors, together with the Board of Directors .

At 300 pages and published as open access, this manual represents a paradigm shift in the teaching and study of environmental law. The work stems from a pioneering pedagogical project developed at the Faculty of Law of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), where the classroom has been transformed into a space for the collective production of knowledge. Far from static manuals that quickly become obsolete, this book adopts the format of a "living manual," designed to be reviewed, expanded, and updated by successive generations of students and researchers.

A proposal that integrates new epistemologies

The manual combines legal doctrine with contemporary theoretical frameworks that allow for addressing the challenges of the Anthropocene and the systemic risks that characterize the current socio-ecological crisis. Among these frameworks, the following stand out:

• the theory of hyperobjects ,

• the planetary architecture of The Stack ,

• postnormal science ,

• and the study of governance networks beyond the traditional limits of law.

This approach addresses a central question: how can law govern diffuse, transboundary, and essentially uncertain risks? The result is a pedagogical tool that not only explains regulations but also helps develop a critical and systemic perspective on international and European environmental governance.

An example of open pedagogy

Environmental Law: The Living Handbook is also a case study in educational innovation. The project champions an open pedagogy methodology, in which students move beyond passive recipients to become active mappers of legal networks. The text, published under a Creative Commons license, encourages continuous revision and shared responsibility in the generation and dissemination of knowledge.

A contribution to environmental law and human security

From the Manuel Ballbé Chair, we highlight this work as a relevant contribution to contemporary legal thought and the training of future jurists capable of facing the challenges of the global environmental crisis with judgment, creativity and collective responsibility.

The book is available in its entirety through the UAB Digital Document Repository: 🔗 https://ddd.uab.cat/record/325252