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Full-Text Articles in Law

Conflict Of Interest That Led To The Gulf Oil Disaster, Peter J. Honigsberg Apr 2011

Conflict Of Interest That Led To The Gulf Oil Disaster, Peter J. Honigsberg

Peter J Honigsberg

On April 20, 2010, British Petroleum’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, killing eleven people and spilling billions of gallons of oil into the gulf. In the days and weeks that followed, the media pointed to the Minerals Management Services (MMS), the regulatory agency responsible for managing offshore drilling, as being complicit with BP. The MMS issued permits for deepwater drilling in violation of its regulations; provided hundreds of exemptions to the regulations; maintained lax monitoring and enforcement procedures; allowed the companies to draft regulations that suited their interests and objectives; and engaged in inappropriate relationships …


Celebrating Earth Day And A Billion Acts Of Green, Ufuoma Barbara Akpotaire Apr 2011

Celebrating Earth Day And A Billion Acts Of Green, Ufuoma Barbara Akpotaire

Ufuoma Barbara Akpotaire

Today, April 22nd, is celebrated as Earth Day. The idea is to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment and was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. The idea for Earth Day is credited to Gaylord Nelson, a former U.S. Senator, after he witnessed some of the side effects of the 1969 massive oil spill in California.

The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and in 2009, the United Nations joined in the celebration by designating April 22, “International Mother Earth Day.” I recently came across a video of the …


Climate Change Consensus: Emerging International Law, Prof. Elizabeth N. Burleson Dec 2009

Climate Change Consensus: Emerging International Law, Prof. Elizabeth N. Burleson

Prof. Elizabeth Burleson

This article focuses on emerging international law addressing climate change. Providing a background on international negotiations, it considers the greenhouse gas emissions targets needed to avert catastrophic climate change. Assessing the funding debate, this article concludes that agreement in Copenhagen must result in a comprehensive instrument with which to maintain global emissions below 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Multilateral coordination can develop an effective framework for climate stabilization.