Environmental Law Commons^™

The Off-Grid Revolution And The "Promise" Of Energy Equality Under The Paris Climate Change Agreement, Ilias Bantekas

Northwestern Journal of Human Rights

A key thesis of this article is that since renewable energy is quintessentially a public good both in constitutional and macroeconomic terms, its availability without restrictions to all people is a true manifestation of economic self-determination, ultimately entailing what this author calls “energy equality.” Although this equality is dictated by the nature of renewable energy as a public good, it risks being eroded by the rush to implement the Paris Agreement. This is certainly one of the shortcomings of the Paris Agreement. With nation states eager to meet their targets and energy concessionaires given unprecedented financial and other incentives, we …

Environmental Law And Economic Law Review: Is Green Economy And Environmental, Social, And Governance (Esg) Green Economy Or Greenwashing?, Birkah Latif, Mohammad Qadam Shah, Aidir Amin Daud, Marthen Napang, Padma D. Liman, Indah Camelia, La Ode M. Syarif, Andi Tenri Famauri Rifai, Aldi Yusa Ali, Adelin Yohana Gloria

Indonesian Journal of International Law

In implementing the SDGs according to the principle of green economy, countries are competing to apply the ESG concept which aims to identify all non-financial risks and opportunities related to the company's routine, especially those related to Environment (E), Social (S), and Governance (G), to achieve sustainability development in business through corporate actions. Such well-founded implementation within a company will generate a positive impact and increase the appeal for investors amid today's fierce business competition. The ESG is expected to be the key in promoting economic improvement without sacrificing environmental aspects.

Crypto & The Climate: Will Local & National Environmental Regulation Save Or Stifle The Cryptocurrency Boom?

Fordham Environmental Law Review

As cryptocurrencies continue to gain traction among mainstream investors and consumers, regulators and lobbyists are increasingly taking note of the potential environmental impacts of the industry. At its core, the process of mining new currency for virtual wallets is energy intensive, which can place strains on electrical grids and accelerate the impacts of climate change. However, these effects are felt very differently depending on what source of electricity the mining operation utilizes and the methodology behind the specific currency. These variable factors are on the minds of legislators and regulators as public pressure to better understand and regulate the industry …

A Shifting Focus: How Algal Turf Scrubbers (Ats) In Natural Waterways Can Prevent Toxic Blooms And Could Save The Algae Energy Industry

Fordham Environmental Law Review

Biofuels have generated global interest among oil companies and governments. In particular, algal biofuels are slated to be more promising than traditional biofuel feedstocks, like corn and sugarcane, which are simultaneously cultivated as food products. However, the drawbacks of harvesting algae on a large industrial scale has led to intense criticism. Most critics focus on issues of sustainability, scalability of production, and the legal and ethical concerns of genetically modified crops. New research in cyanobacteria, however, illustrates algae’s potential to produce clean electricity in addition to oil, ethanol, and gasoline. Moreover, using Algal Turf Scrubbers (“ATS”) in natural waterways offers …

Why We Need A Constitutional Right To Healthy Environment In Canada

Fordham Environmental Law Review

The increasing demand for constitutional recognition of the right to a healthy environment (‘RTHE’) has been a matter of public concern and debate in many countries, including Canada.2 This paper asks, will a constitutional RTHE within the Canadian Constitution add any value when statutes already exist to protect the environment (and thereby health)? The present environmental statutes work towards protecting the environment, and by protecting the environment, public health can be protected.3 Together, both of them form a ‘healthy environment’, ie., an environment that fosters a healthy life.4 This paper will argue that there is additional value in recognizing a …

Taking The Lead On Climate Action And Sustainable Development: Recommendations For Strategic National Transition Planning At The Centre Of A Whole-Of-System Climate Response, Mark Manning, Riona Bowhay, Megan Bowman, Peter Knaack, Lisa E. Sachs, Agnieszka Smolenska, Fiona Stewart, Thomas Tayler, Perrine Toledano, Harald Walkate

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

As the global economy transitions to a just, low-emissions, climate-resilient, and nature-positive future, we can expect every sector to transform. However, systemic transformation requires strategic transition planning, effective coordination, and communication across the economy. To facilitate this, governments can play a decisive role by managing change and setting incentives and constraints for private actors. Similarly, private sector actors can enhance their corporate strategies and financing decisions to support this transition. Transition plans serve as a roadmap to transformation by outlining a strategic vision and identifying capital needs, external factors, and dependencies.

CCSI is collaborating with experts at CETEx, King’s College, …

Global Guidance For Just Transition Policy: Policy Brief, Anna Dell'amico, Martin Dietrich Brauch, Lara Wallis, Alexandra A.K. Meisea

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

In 2015, the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted Guidelines for a Just Transition Towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All, providing authoritative and valuable international guidance for just transitions. CCSI has conducted a comparative analysis of the application of the ILO Guidelines in South Africa and Germany and examined the extent to which the ILO Guidelines address energy transition challenges facing developing countries.

This CCSI Policy Brief summarizes the comparison between South Africa’s and Germany’s just transition policies and the ILO Guidelines. It also summarizes CCSI’s findings and recommendations to shape further guidance on just energy transition policymaking from …

Global Guidance For Just Transition Policy, Anna Dell'amico, Martin Dietrich Brauch, Lara Wallis, Alexandra A.K. Meisea

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

In 2015, the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted Guidelines for a Just Transition Towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All, providing authoritative and valuable international guidance for just transitions. CCSI has conducted a comparative analysis of the application of the ILO Guidelines in South Africa and Germany and examined the extent to which the ILO Guidelines address energy transition challenges facing developing countries.

The CCSI report, Global Guidance for Just Transition Policy, provides detailed context on South Africa’s and Germany’s national socio-political and energy conditions and policies, and comprehensively examines the legal and policy instruments adopted by both countries …

Criminalizing Ecocide, Rebecca Hamilton

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Amid widespread acknowledgment that we live on a planet in peril, the term “ecocide” packs a powerful rhetorical punch. Extant regulatory approaches to environmental protection feel insufficient in the face of the triple threat of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. International criminal prosecution for ecocide, by contrast, promises to meet the moment, and a recent proposal to introduce ecocide into the canon of core international crimes is gaining traction. Assuming the push to criminalize ecocide continues to gain momentum, this Article argues that the primary (and perhaps, sole) benefit that international criminal law can offer in this context is …

The Loss & Damage Fund: Will It Leave Greenland Behind?, Natalie L. Nowatzke

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) maintains three pillars of international climate governance: (1) mitigation, (2) adaptation, and (3) loss and damage. Loss and damage, the newest pillar, refers to the negative effects of climate change that transpire despite mitigation and adaptation measures. This notion has manifested into the newly operationalized Loss and Damage Fund, which is designed to compensate developing nations for the losses and damages that occur. This Comment identifies a gap in the Loss and Damage Fund, which will leave Greenland left out of receiving compensation, despite being extremely vulnerable to climate change, because …

Sea Ice And The Law Of The Sea: The Myth Of Article 234, Amanda H. Lynch, Charles H. Norchi

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

The sea ice of Article 234 of UNCLOS represents not the physical ice of the Arctic Ocean but a negotiated myth of ice as it affects the Arctic littoral states. The stability of this prescription is threatened by anthropogenic climate change causing a preferential evacuation of ice from the eastern Arctic compared to the western Arctic, as well as expectations for a possible future ice-free Arctic. This is leading to an intensification of claims on marine space. The irreducible uncertainties of the future trajectory of Arctic change demands a dynamic response. The myth of Article 234 will ultimately align with …

Projections For Arctic Marine Accessibility: Risk Under Climate Change, Xueke Li, Amanda H. Lynch

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

Few transformations in Earth systems are as dramatic as those currently occurring in the Arctic. We reveal the emergence of a new route regime in response to the evolving context of climate change and human pressures. This paradigm shift presents both opportunities for Arctic exploration and maritime trade, as well as risks for marine ecosystems and coastal communities. It underscores the need for concerted efforts to recalibrate the associated legal framework.

The Public Order Of The Arctic: Problems And Prospects, Charles H. Norchi

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Legal Basis And Procedures Unification On Oil Spill Damage Compensation In International Convention On Civil Liability For Oil Pollution Damage (1992) And The International Convention On Civil Liability For Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (2001): On Indonesian International Private Law Perspective, Cindy A. Prasasti, Kania P. Rahmadiani, Fayza N. Muthmainnah

Journal of Private International Law Studies

Oil spills into the sea have always been a major threat to the environment since the increase of oil and hazardous substances trade by sea-going vessels and seaborne craft since the 1960s. Consequently, it became necessary to ensure sufficient compensation for persons who suffer from damage caused by pollution emerging from the discharge of oil from ships. The 1969 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (Civil Liability Convention/CLC) and The 2001 International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (Bunker Convention) grant compensation for parties suffering from damages of oil pollution. Despite being established as …

Beyond Reform: Food Sovereignty And The Future Of Global Food Systems, Smita Narula

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

We live in a deeply destructive food system, and the need for alternatives is clear. Yet state and corporate actors, beholden to an extractive, industrial model of food production, continue to push for incremental reforms instead of transformative action. In response, food sovereignty movements are charting a normative path in international human rights law to secure peasants' rights and promote more sustainable and just alternatives to our industrial food system. Against the backdrop of the political economy of industrial agriculture, this Article compares mainstream approaches to food systems reform with transformative alternatives rooted in food sovereignty. It explores two key …

Removing Methane Via Atmospheric Oxidation Enhancement: The Legal Framework, Romany M. Webb, Martin Lockman, Korey Silverman-Roati

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

To achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the increase in global average temperatures to “well below 2 degrees Celsius,” and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, above pre-industrial levels, global greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions must reach net zero in the second half of the century. The global community is not currently on track to achieve net zero emissions. In fact, with the exception of a slight dip during the Covid-19 pandemic, emissions have risen steadily in recent years. This, together with the increasingly visible impacts of climate change, has prompted growing interest in the possibility of removing GHGs directly from the …

Race Against The Clock: A Comparative Analysis Of New York State's And Germany's Ambitious High-Voltage Transmission Sitting Laws And What New York Can Adopt From The German Model, Andrew Leahy

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note argues that New York should adopt elements of Germany's centralized regulatory model to streamline the approval and construction of high-voltage transmission lines, which are critical for meeting renewable energy goals. While both New York and Germany face similar challenges in expanding their grids, Germany's centralized approach, including federal oversight and coordinated planning, has proven more efficient. The note critiques New York's decentralized and uncoordinated process, suggesting that adopting Germany's methods could help New York meet its ambitious renewable energy targets and reduce reliance on peaker plants.

Regulatory Takings In Climate Change: Geo- Engineering One’S Way Around The Fifth Amendment, Noah Chase

Fordham Environmental Law Review

Picture yourself as the owner of a small business located in the downtown area of a large city; your business consists of a shop and an adjoining parking lot. A new regulation has just been passed which requires any owner of property within the city limits to paint all roofs and parking areas with a new reflective coating, in order to reduce the heat which is absorbed by such structures. The idea of closing your business down for this time, along with other connected issues, scares you, and you begin to wonder if your local government truly has your best …

Arizona V. Navajo Nation And Systemic Failures In The Tribal Water Allocation Scheme, Jennifer Horkovich

Fordham Environmental Law Review

When the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Arizona v. Navajo Nation was published in June 2023, Indian Country was hardly surprised with the Court’s ruling. There, the Court found that the United States had no affirmative duty to affirmatively protect the Navajo Nation’s water rights under the 1868 Treaty.1 The Court was clear: the treaty is insufficient for the Navajo’s current water needs, but the judiciary is unable to step in to find relief.2 This decision is another in a long series of cases on water allocation and the federal reserved water right, where tribes have been unable to …

Environmental Protection, Sustainability And The Prevention Of Satellite Collisions In Outer Space, Yun Zhao

Fordham Environmental Law Review

With space commercialization and privatization continuing apace, more space objects are expected to be launched and put into operation in the future, adding to the already large number of defunct satellites and space debris present in outer space. Hence, serious study should be devoted to possible mechanisms for dealing with potential collisions in outer space for the purpose of realizing environmental protection and space sustainability. In view of the inadequacy of the existing legal regime, this article explores possible such mechanisms (including a preventive mechanism, avoidance mechanism and compensation mechanism) from the perspective of interdependence theory and puts forward a …

They “Eyeballed” The River And Built The Dam: Lessons From The Hidrotambo Dam Flood Disaster To Guide Improvements In Environmental Impact Assessment Law In Ecuador, Rachel E. Conrad

Pace International Law Review

Ecuador is a trailblazer in human and environmental rights. The country enshrined in its 2008 Constitution the human right to water and the right to live in a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. It was also the first country in the world to recognize nature as a subject of rights in and of itself. However, the Ecuadorian legislature has failed to fully recognize these rights in the country’s civil law codes. This article explores the shortcomings of Ecuadorian law on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and proposes modifications to better ensure the protection of international and constitutional human and nature’s rights …

40 Years After The Moratorium On Commercial Whaling: Assessing The Competence Of The International Whaling Commission To Confront Critical Threats To Cetaceans, Chris Wold

Pace International Law Review

With Japan’s withdrawal from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), no member of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) hunts whales commercially except by objection or reservation, thus intensifying the debate over what the IWC should do and what it may do. For decades, some IWC members have questioned the mandate of the IWC to manage small cetaceans, regulate whaling in coastal State exclusive economic zones, and make recommendations concerning entanglement, bycatch, and other threats to whale conservation. An analysis of the ordinary meaning of the ICRW and the practice of the IWC shows that the IWC has …

Catalyzing Public And Private Investments To Scale Up Socio-Bioeconomy And Nature-Based Solutions, Lara Fornabaio, Lisa E. Sachs, Meike Siegner, Vivek Pandey, Rajat Panwar

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

Socio-bioeconomy presents a promising approach to sustainable development by leveraging biological and social diversity to transition away from a fossil fuel dependent economy while simultaneously creating income and employment opportunities for millions of Indigenous and rural communities worldwide. Because the bioeconomy values the sustainable utilization of renewable biological resources, nature-based solutions (NbS), which are a facet of the socio-bioeconomy, gain increasing prominence. Socio-bioeconomy requires substantial investmentsfrom both public and private sectors to develop effective socio-biodiversity production systems. Socio-bioeconomy development will require improved institutional coordination, robust planning, and novel methodologies to measure trade-offs as well as promote synergies that can generate …

Climate Reparations, Benoit Mayer

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Climate Litigation In The Global South: Mapping Report, Maria Antonia Tigre

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

In recent years, climate litigation has undergone a notable transformation globally, witnessing a surge in cases across diverse jurisdictions. While scholarly interest has predominantly focused on cases from the Global North, attention to litigation originating in the Global South has been more limited. Nonetheless, understanding the distinct legal grounds, remedies sought, and objectives of plaintiffs in the Global South is crucial. This report addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive insight into the current landscape of climate litigation in the Global South.

The report utilizes data from the Sabin Center’s Global Climate Change Litigation databases, which has seen an influx …

Conservation Co-Governance As A Cure: Investigating Aotearoa New Zealand's Conservation Co-Governance Model As A Blueprint For Restoring Navajo Sovereignty In Managing Canyon De Chelly, Shana R. Herman

Villanova Environmental Law Journal (1991 - )

No abstract provided.

The Mysterious Case Of The Attacks Against The Halifax Public Gardens: The Enclosure Of "Common" Property , Public Access To Nature, And Sustainability In The City, Dr. Sara Gwendolyn Ross

Villanova Environmental Law Journal (1991 - )

No abstract provided.

Better Late Than Never: Climate Displacement And The Case For Expanding Temporary Protected Status, Anna C. Cincotta

Villanova Environmental Law Journal (1991 - )

No abstract provided.

Environmental Damage Is A War Crime: Analyzing The Legal Implications Of The Russian Armed Invasion's Environmental Impact On Ukraine, Iryna Rekrut

JCLC Online

As a result of the armed invasion of Ukraine by the Russian

military, Ukraine has suffered extreme environmental damage that

affects both its land and its people. This article explores the

intersection of international law and environmental protection in the

context of armed conflicts, with a specific focus on the Russian armed

invasion of Ukraine. After describing the devastation faced by

Ukraine, this article examines existing frameworks in international

law such as the Rome Statute, the Geneva Conventions, customary

international humanitarian law, and domestic law. This overview

highlights guidelines in these frameworks that render environmental

damage during war impermissible. Despite …

The Oberlin Saga: Integrating North America’S Pipeline System And Potential Impacts On Hydrogen, Samuel Stephens

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

This Article explores how the D.C. Circuit’s decision in City of Oberlin, Ohio v. FERC (2022) (Oberlin II) will impact future natural gas pipelines and potentially even future hydrogen infrastructure. While the decision reinforced support for integrating North American natural gas infrastructure, given uncertainties in how the United States will regulate the emerging hydrogen industry, there is a chance that the decision could be more expansive than what initially meets the eye. By continuing down the path of supporting North American energy integration, Congress, federal courts, and administrative agencies will help prepare the United States for an uncertain energy future. …