Law Commons^™

Western Organization Of Resource Councils V. United States Bureau Of Land Management, Seth Sivinski

Public Land & Resources Law Review

To what extent must the BLM analyze potential climate change impacts where millions of acres of public lands and federal mineral estates are being considered for coal development? Western Organization of Resource Councils v. BLM addresses this, setting the scope for NEPA-mandated environmental impact analysis and reasonable alternative consideration by federal agencies. Judge Brian Morris of the District of Montana eschewed BLM’s assertions that considering climate impacts would be speculative, instead requiring BLM to acknowledge scientific reality and include modern climate science in its NEPA review analysis.

Using Renewable Portfolio Standards To Accelerate Development Of Negative Emissions Technologies, Anthony E. Chavez

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

As society continues to emit greenhouse gases, the likelihood of dangerous climate change occurring increases. Indeed, most analyses project that we must utilize negative emission technologies (“NETs”) to avoid dangerous warming. Even the Paris Agreement anticipates the implementation of such carbon dioxide (“CO₂”) removal technologies. Unfortunately, NETs are not ready for large-scale deployment. In many instances, their technologies remain uncertain; in others, their ability to operate at the scale required is unknown. Other uncertainties, including their costs, effectiveness, and environmental impacts have yet to be determined.

A means to accelerate the development and implementation of NETs is a …

When The Well Runs Dry: Why Water-Rich States Need To Prepare For Climate Change And Protect Their Groundwater, Danielle Takacs

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

It may seem surprising to see such concern over groundwater usage in a state like Wisconsin. While known for its dairy and cheese production, Wisconsin is first in the nation for producing snap beans and cranberries. Agriculture contributes $88.3 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy alone. In addition to bordering two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, Wisconsin boasts that it is home to about 15,000 lakes. And this does not include the numerous rivers and streams throughout the state. These facts alone may make Wisconsin seem an unlikely place for disputes over groundwater, as water seems to …

Net Neutrality Powers Energy And Forestalls Climate Change, Catherine J.K. Sandoval

San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

Drawing on my experience as a Commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) from January 2011 to January 2017, this Article explores the interdependence of the electricity sector and the open and neutral internet. Section II of this Article discusses the evolution of critical infrastructure laws and policies. Section III examines California’s energy loading order adopted in 2003 to increase energy reliability and protect the environment. Section IV analyzes the evolution of federal and state Smart Grid policies to infuse communications and information technologies including the internet into the energy ecosystem. Section V discusses FERC’s authorization of demand response−the …

Around Campus

DePaul Magazine

Reburying the Dead: Returning control of ancient remains to Native American tribes; Communicating Climate Change: DePaul professor discusses effective ways to connect with skeptical and disengaged audiences; The Great Mind of Michael Shannon

Constitutional Challenges And Regulatory Opportunities For State Climate Policy Innovation, Felix Mormann

Felix Mormann

This Article explores constitutional limits and regulatory openings for innovative state policies to mitigate climate change by promoting climate-friendly, renewable energy. In the absence of a comprehensive federal policy approach to climate change and clean energy, more and more states are stepping in to fill the policy void. Already, nearly thirty states have adopted renewable portfolio standards that create markets for solar, wind, and other clean electricity. To help populate these markets, a few pioneering states have recently started using feed-in tariffs that offer eligible generators above-market rates for their clean, renewable power.

But renewable portfolio standards, feed-in tariffs, and …

The Paris Agreement: Its Role In International Law And American Jurisprudence, Kayla Clark

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

The Paris Agreement is the most articulate and influential international legal agreement on climate change to date. However, despite record breaking levels of international participation, the future of the Agreement remains uncertain. United States President Donald Trump's decision to remain a part of the international community's efforts on climate change has the potential to affect the scope and scale of this acclaimed treaty. In this note, I discuss the development of the Paris agreement as compared to the Kyoto Protocol, and how its construction promises to facilitate successful implementation. Additionally, given the United States' prominent international role, I discuss the …

The Rise Of Rights-Based Climate Litigation And Germany's Susceptibility To Suit, Marc A. R. Zemel

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

Protecting Cultural Rights In The South Pacific Islands: Using Unesco And Marine Protected Areas To Plan For Climate Change, Elizabeth Thomas

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Paris To Projects Research Initiative, Robert B. Gibson, Karine Peloffy, Meinhard Doelle

Research Papers, Working Papers, Conference Papers

This working paper explores the key components and provisions that need to be incorporated into impact assessment legislation to ensure that assessed undertakings help meet Canadian climate change mitigation commitments and duties.

This discussion paper includes a summary that serves as a basic briefing note on the core climate components that should be included in the new federal legislation. It also includes a box presenting the tests for determining an undertaking's contributions to meeting Canada's international climate change mitigation commitments, and a more detailed discussion of implications for the new law.

The New(Clear?) Electricity Federalism: Federal Preemption Of States’ “Zero Emissions Credit” Programs, Joel Eisen

Law Faculty Publications

This Article proposes and applies a “conscious disregard” test for resolving the upcoming appellate litigation that involves the conflict between federal authority over the electric grid and state laws providing subsidies to nuclear power plants in the form of “zero emissions credits” (ZECs). This test draws upon principles of conflict preemption, as elaborated in three recent Supreme Court decisions on the intersection of state and federal jurisdiction over the electric grid under the Federal Power Act. It provides that if a state law explicitly aims to directly affect wholesale electricity market prices, terms or conditions, its subsidy program is impermissible …

Take Time To Wander Outside Your Comfort Zone, David Spratt

Articles in Law Reviews & Other Academic Journals

No abstract provided.

Juliana V. United States: Debating The Fundamentals Of The Fundamental Right To A Sustainable Climate, Erin Ryan

Scholarly Publications

This article, based on a live discussion among a panel of national experts, dissects the landmark federal climate lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, 217 F. Supp. 3d 1224 (D. Or. 2016). Juliana is the flagship case in a series of legal actions brought by youth plaintiffs challenging government failures to regulate to prevent climate change. However, few have come as far as Juliana, which has so far survived motions to dismiss from both the government and fossil fuels industry, a motion for interlocutory appeal to the Ninth Circuit to dismiss the case, and even a rare petition for writ of …

Compliance In Transition: Is Facilitative Compliance Finding Its Place In The Paris Climate Regime, Meinhard Doelle

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The paper explores the current compliance negotiations under Article 15 of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The paper provides an overview of the current state of the negotiations, and considers ways to conclude the negotiations toward an effective compliance system under the Paris Agreement. In the process, the paper explores key differences and similarities between Paris and Kyoto, and identifies possible lessons from the Kyoto compliance experience.

Annex 6: Changing Ocean Impacts On The Key Forage Fish Species Arctic Cod In The Western Canadian Arctic – Linking Climate Model Projections To Subsistence Fisheries, Nadja Steiner, William W. L. Cheung, Helen Drost, Carie Hoover, Jen Lam, Lisa Miller, Andres M. Cisneros-Montemayor, Tessa Sou, U. Rashid Sumaila, Paul Suprenand, Travis C. Tai

Reports & Public Policy Documents

This annex highlights the results of a study focusing on the potential impacts of ocean acidification and other climate- related stressors on marine species relevant for subsistence fisheries in the Western Arctic Bioregion. The study uses a knowledge co-production approach developed in the form of a multi-step process based on a combination of modelling and analysis tools including the Scientific Method and Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (Figure A6.1). Once all steps have been completed, uncertainties can be estimated and improvements can be made either with respect to the individual steps or to the linkages between them. The process can then be …

Examples Of Global And Regional Laws And Policies Relevant To Addressing The Potential Impacts Of Climate Change And Ocean Acidification, David Vanderzwaag, Nadja Steiner, Jan René Larsen

Reports & Public Policy Documents

Laws and policies relevant to the potential impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on marine species and coastal communities appear at the global and regional level, as well as the national level (see Annex 6).

Decarbonizing International Shipping: Potential Roles Of The Imo’S Initial Strategy And The Un Climate Regime, Meinhard Doelle, Aldo Chircop

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This article assesses the IMO’s 2018 Strategy to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping in light of the long-term goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, and considers its ambition, adequacy and effectiveness in ensuring a fair contribution to the global decarbonization effort. The article proceeds in four parts. In Part 1, we offer a brief history of efforts to reduce emissions from international shipping under the UN Climate Regime. This is followed in Part 2 with a similar overview of historical efforts under the IMO. In Part 3, we discuss the key elements of the 2018 IMO Strategy, followed by …

Decades Of Climate Policy Failure In Canada: Can We Break The Vicious Cycle?, Meinhard Doelle

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This paper explores the causes of 20 years of climate policy failure in Canada.

Paris To Projects Research Initiative, Robert B. Gibson, Karine Peloffy, Meinhard Doelle

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This working paper explores the key components and provisions that need to be incorporated into impact assessment legislation to ensure that assessed undertakings help meet Canadian climate change mitigation commitments and duties.

This discussion paper includes a summary that serves as a basic briefing note on the core climate components that should be included in the new federal legislation. It also includes a box presenting the tests for determining an undertaking's contributions to meeting Canada's international climate change mitigation commitments, and a more detailed discussion of implications for the new law.

Disproportionate Realities: The Climate Justice Implications Of Mitigation Policies Across Scales, Tinuviel Carlson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Global climate change will have disproportionate effects on low-income and minority communities around the world producing important justice challenges. As national governments increasingly rely on local governments, civil society, and private transnational actors to establish and implement climate actions policies, it is important to assess whether and how these newly emergent actors can address these justice challenges. First this thesis examines concepts of justice in relation to climate change across different scales in order to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework of climate justice. This conceptual framework expands the scale of the international climate justice movement address local concerns. Further, the …

Juliana V. United States: Debating The Fundamentals Of The Fundamental Right To A Sustainable Climate, Erin Ryan, Mary Wood, Jim Huffman, Irma S. Russell, Richard Frank

Faculty Works

This article, based on a live discussion among a panel of national experts, dissects the landmark federal climate lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, 217 F. Supp. 3d 1224 (D. Or. 2016). Juliana is the flagship case in a series of legal actions brought by youth plaintiffs challenging government failures to regulate to prevent climate change. However, few have come as far as Juliana, which has so far survived motions to dismiss from both the government and fossil fuels industry, a motion for interlocutory appeal to the Ninth Circuit to dismiss the case, and even a rare petition for writ of …

The Quiet Undoing: How Regional Electricity Market Reforms Threaten State Clean Energygoals, Danny Cullenward, Shelley Welton

All Faculty Scholarship

In a series of largely unnoticed but extremely consequential moves, two regional electricity market operators are pursuing reforms to make it more difficult for states to achieve their clean energy goals. The federal energy regulator, FERC, has already approved one such reform and ordered a second market operator to go farther in punishing state-supported clean energy resources than it had initially proposed. This disturbing trend highlights a shift in energy governance that threatens to destabilize the field’s delicate cooperative federalist model. Over the past several decades, states have increasingly ceded control over energy dispatch and grid planning to private market …

Regulatory Cooperation In International Trade And Its Transformative Effects On Executive Power, Elizabeth Trujillo

Faculty Scholarship

As international trade receives the brunt of local discontent with globalization trends and recent changes by the Trump administration have put into question the viability of such trade arrangements moving forward, there has been a clear trend in using international trade fora for managing regulatory barriers on economic development. This paper will discuss this recent trend in international trade toward increased regulatory cooperation through the creation of formalized transnational regulatory bodies, such as the U.S.-EU Regulatory Cooperation Body that was being discussed in the TTIP negotiations and comparable ones in the Canadian-EU Trade Agreement as well as U.S.-Mexico and U.S.- …