Climate change and climate science have been the subject of a great deal of discussion and political controversy here in the United States. In this era of information and disinformation, wouldn’t it be great if we had a vehicle for separating fact from fiction in this important area? A new report from ELI reveals that we already have a mechanism for crunching truth – the judicial system. In this special Earth Day episode, ELI President Scott Fulton talks to the lead author of the report, Dr. Maria Banda, to learn more.
There are many benefits to wind energy, but what about its impacts on wildlife? In this episode, we "engage the experts” and listen in on a conversation between two experts in the field of environmental law, Brooke Marcus Wahlberg, a Partner at Nossaman LLP, and Joy Page, Director of the Renewable Energy and Wildlife team at the Defenders of Wildlife. Brooke and Joy will discuss their work at the nexus of wind energy development and wildlife conservation.
Since 1989, ELI has honored over 200 champions of wetlands protection through the National Wetlands Awards program, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional effort, innovation, and excellence in protecting the nation’s wetlands. In this episode, we invite our 2020 National Wetlands Awardees to share their thoughts on the same question: What is the importance of wetlands protection now and in the future?
Towns and cities all across America are increasingly finding themselves at the front lines in protecting their citizens from the impacts of climate change. Fortunately, a number of tools just waiting to be used can already be found in many local communities’ toolbox. In this episode, we talk to Prof. Jonathan Rosenbloom about his new book, Remarkable Cities and the Fight Against Climate Change: 43 Recommendations to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and the Communities That Adopted Them (ELI Press 2020). Tune in to learn about the range of ways in which local communities can use enacted ordinances to mitigate climate change while increasing their capacity to respond and adapt to its most harmful consequences.
There are many benefits to solar energy, but what about its impacts on wildlife? In this episode, we "engage the experts” and listen in on a conversation between two experts in the field of environmental law and policy, Brooke Marcus Wahlberg, a Partner at Nossaman LLP, and Dr. Karl Kosciuch, a senior biologist at Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc. Brooke and Karl will discuss their work at the nexus of solar energy development and wildlife conservation.
What tried and true environmental law strategies are animal rights and welfare advocates using in their efforts to protect animals? How does the exploitation of meatpacking and slaughterhouse workers in the age of COVID-19 highlight the interconnectedness between animal, environmental, and human rights issues? In this episode, we talk to Prof. Randall S. Abate about his forthcoming book, What Can Animal Law Learn from Environmental Law? (2d ed. ELI Press 2020). Tune in to learn about what animal law can learn from environmental law and how the two movements can better coordinate their common objectives.
International environmental law is often characterized as fragmented and heterogeneous; there is currently no single, overarching framework that outlines a set of rules and criteria of general application in international environmental law. In the latest episode of People Places Planet Podcast, we explore the recent push for a set of globally recognized principles on environmental law—called the Global Pact for the Environment—under the United Nations. In this podcast, Dominic Scicchitano, a Research Associate at ELI, talks to two individuals who have been following the issue closely: Prof. Nicholas A. Robinson and Maria Antonia Tigre. Together, they discuss the Pact’s history, its present status and future outlook, as well as its broader implications for international environmental law.
As renewable energy development is happening throughout the country, changes in environmental regulations and related court decisions are impacting project development. What does this shifting terrain mean for the development, expansion and maintenance of renewable energy technologies? In this episode, we hear from Brooke Marcus Wahlberg, a Partner at Nossaman LLP, and her colleague Rebecca Barho as they unpack changes to environmental regulations and their related court decisions. Tune in to learn about what recent regulatory and judicial developments mean for renewables.
Compensatory mitigation offers a viable way to protect the long-term health of the nation’s watersheds, and its success relies on a robust review and approval process that ensures that the protections in federal regulations are implemented in practice on the ground and that compensation projects effectively offset permitted impacts. However, the review and approval process can often be lengthy, sometimes greatly exceeding the regulatory timelines. In this episode, Rebecca Kihslinger, Director of ELI’s Wetlands Program, discusses a new ELI research report that aims to identify some of the main impediments to efficiency in compensatory mitigation project review, as well as best practices to improve the process and ensure timely, ecologically viable mitigation outcomes.
Hurricane season is in full swing, and this year is unlike any before. What is driving this year’s record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season? And what implications is it having on coastal communities in the Gulf of Mexico states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida? In this podcast, we talk to Amy Reed, Director of ELI’s Gulf of Mexico program, to discuss the 2020 hurricane season and what it means for those who call the Gulf home.