Co-sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute; D.C. Bar Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Community; DC Environment and Energy Associations; Energy and Environmental Law Forum of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia; The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia University Law School; Women in Government Relations; and the Climate Change and Sustainable Development and Ecosystems Committee of ABA SEER
This event is a proud part of DC Pro Bono Week!
Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States provides a “legal playbook” for deep decarbonization in the United States, identifying well over 1,000 legal options for enabling the United States to address one of the greatest problems facing this country and the rest of humanity. The publication focuses on energy efficiency, conservation, and fuel switching; electricity decarbonization; fuel decarbonization; carbon capture and negative emissions; non-carbon dioxide climate pollutants; and a variety of other cross-cutting issues. The legal options involve federal, state, and local law, as well as private governance. While both the scale and complexity of deep decarbonization are enormous, the underlying message is simple: deep decarbonization is achievable in the United States using laws that exist or could be enacted. These legal tools can be used with significant economic, social, environmental, and national security benefits. Building off May’s Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the US: Pro Bono Implementation Project, participants were presented with a webinar describing key efforts by lawyers to address climate change: The Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization Pro Bono Project, the American Bar Association's (ABA's) Resolution 111, and other climate change efforts.
On The Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization Pro Bono Project, as part of DC Pro Bono Week 2019, experienced panelists outlined this unique pro bono project in which lawyers can draft model legislation to implement the recommendations set forth in Legal Pathways. The legal options identified involve federal, state, and local law, as well as private governance.
With regard to the ABA's Resolution 111 on Climate Change, panelists discussed the contents of this Resolution, which was approved by the ABA House of Delegates this past August, as well as other ABA efforts to address climate change. The ABA Resolution urges all levels of government (federal, state, local, tribal and territorial) and the private sector to use a broad range of legal mechanisms to address climate change. The Resolution also encourages lawyers with a broad range of expertise in various areas of the law to get involved in pro bono efforts to assist in addressing climate change.
Panelists:
Caitlin McCarthy, Director, Education, Associates and Corporate Partnerships, Environmental Law Institute (Moderator)
John C. Dernbach, Director, Environmental Law and Sustainability Center and Commonwealth Professor of Environmental Law and Sustainability, Widener University Commonwealth Law School and Author and Editor, Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States
Amy L. Edwards, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP and Immediate Past Chair, American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER)
Michael B. Gerrard, Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice, Columbia Law School and Author and Editor, Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States
Richard Horsch, Retired Partner, White & Case LLP
Materials:
ELI members will have access to any materials/a recording of this session (usually posted w/in 48 hours). If you are not an ELI member but would like to have access to archived sessions like this one, go HERE to see the many benefits of membership and how to join.