Research Reports

ELI publishes Research Reports available for free download that present the analysis and conclusions of the policy studies ELI undertakes to improve environmental law and policy. These reports contribute to education of the profession and disseminate diverse points of view and opinions to stimulate a robust and creative exchange of ideas. Those publications, which express opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Institute, its Board of Directors, or funding organizations, exemplify ELI’s commitment to dialogue with all sectors.
Reducing Exposure to Cooking Pollutants: Policies and Practices to Improve Air Q
Amy Reed and Tobie Bernstein
April 2021

Cooking in a home kitchen produces air pollutants. While some of these pollutants are perceptible in the form of smoke or odors, others – including combustion gases and ultrafine particles – are not as obvious. Cooking-related pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide are linked to human health impacts including respiratory problems and cardiovascular disease.

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Legal Protections for Sharks and Rays Report Cover
Greta Swanson & Xiao Recio-Blanco
March 2021

Sharks play an essential role in the marine ecosystem. As predators, they help to maintain balance in the food chain, eliminate sick and weak animals, and ensure species diversity; and may play a role in protecting coral reefs.

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Law and Governance Toolkit for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries: Best Regulator
Environmental Law Institute
December 2020

Over the last couple of decades, ocean stewardship efforts have turned to focus on several key approaches, such as the implementation of sustainable fisheries practices, including small-scale fisheries (SSF) co-management. This Toolkit presents a methodology for assessing the reform needs to strengthen SSF governance, along with examples of model regulatory language for the core governance elements.

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Citizen Science Programs at Environmental Agencies: Best Practices
Kasantha Moodley and George Wyeth
October 2020

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charting a new pathway for the use of citizen science. In recent years, the EPA has played an active role in sharing knowledge of and promoting the use of citizen science at state, tribal, and local environmental agencies. A new agency-wide strategy for citizen science is presently under development. To help inform this strategy, the EPA recognized the need to learn about the uptake of citizen science at state, tribal and local environmental agencies and to determine current best practices.

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Citizen Science Programs at Environmental Agencies: Case Studies
Kasantha Moodley and George Wyeth
October 2020

The ability of the public to collect and report reliable data on local conditions has great potential for strengthening environmental protection and supporting the work of environmental agencies. Citizen science can be used to fill information gaps, define research agendas, monitor environmental changes, and define the concerns of environmental justice communities. Increasingly, environmental agencies at the state, tribal, and local level are developing new citizen science approaches.

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