These two types of law, the natural and social, combine when a nation-state collectively determines how it will use its national resource endowment. As a nation's population and technology increases, natural resource use also increases. Thus there exists a closely coupled relationship between natural and state law, and it should be expected that environmentalists, in seeking to protect the natural environment, will do so by working through the state's legal institutions. As clear as the relationship between natural and state law is, there are several difficulties that complicate the matter. First, environmental degradation can take place at many different scales, from the very small to the very large.
Some environmental problems are so large that they range across national borders.
One might respond that all concerned states should be included in diplomatic negotiations, but consider the options if one state decides to be difficult choosing not to cooperate. Further negotiations, economic incentives or sanctions, and military intervention might come to mind, but appealing to a stronger authority is not a truly viable option because there exists no institution above the state that can effectively compel the state. A second complicating factor is the fact that there exists a considerable gray area between natural and state laws. One might consider fashion trends of American youths that tend to exhibit high levels of nonconformist conformity. Decentralized social regularities can also take place within much larger communities.