Vibrant Environment


All | Biodiversity | Climate Change and Sustainability | Environmental Justice | Governance and Rule of Law | Land Use and Natural Resources | Oceans and Coasts | Pollution Control

All blog posts are the opinion of its author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ELI, the organization, or its members.

For inquiries concerning ELI’s Vibrant Environment blog, please contact the Blog Editor at blogeditor@eli.org.


Latinx Communities and the Environment: Reflecting on Hispanic Heritage Month

Every year, from September 15 to October 15, we observe Hispanic Heritage Month across the United States to recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic culture to the nation’s achievements, culture, and history. Though the month has now officially come to an end this year, centering Hispanic and Latinx histories, issues, and voices in the environmental field must be a year-round effort. 

Harnessing the Sun: The Promise of Agrivoltaics

As the world grapples with the dual challenges of climate change and food security, innovative solutions are emerging at the intersection of agriculture and renewable energy. 2023 was the hottest year on record, over 2 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average.

Rethinking Conservation: Evaluating California’s 30x30 Goal

Each summer, ELI's interns complete an independent research project (IRP) where they choose a topic to explore deeper. This blog offers an insight into the chosen focus and the research outcome.

Environmental Justice and the Farm Bill

Each summer, ELI's interns complete an independent research project (IRP) where they choose a topic to explore deeper. This blog offers an insight into the chosen focus and the research outcome.

This blog was written before the Farm Bill expired.

Landmark Climate Settlement Highlights Relevance of Climate Science for Judges 

On June 20, 2024, four days before the case was set to go to trial, Hawaiʻi’s First Circuit Court approved a landmark settlement that resolved claims brought by thirteen Hawaiʻian youth plaintiffs against Hawaiʻi’s Department of Transportation (HDOT) and other defendants, including the department director and Governor. That case, Navahine F. v.

ELR August 2024 ELPAR Cover

The Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review (ELPAR) is published annually in the August issue of The Environmental Law Reporter (ELR) in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Law School (VULS) and ELI. Each year, Vanderbilt Law students work with an expert advisory committee, senior staff from ELI, and Vanderbilt law professors to identify some of the year’s best academic articles that include creative and feasible law and policy proposals. 

Air Pollution

Obtaining information about potential violations of environmental law has long been a key challenge for effective enforcement of environmental law. Facility inspections are, of course, a central element to collecting this information, but the number of inspectors compared to the number of regulated facilities severely limits how much data can be gathered about potential violations. Citizen complaints are another important source of information, but this can be very sporadic.

plastic in Nigeria

In the bustling streets of Lagos, where markets and stalls buzz with energy, an unspoken threat lurks in the shadows. Plastic waste has become an inseparable part of the landscape, imprinted on crowded neighborhoods and riverbanks. As an environmental justice lawyer, this is not just an issue of concern; it is a daily reality that permeates my work and personal life.  

seagulls

When a court decides on an issue in a case, their written opinion contains the reasoning and resolution for that issue. As a law student, I read dozens of such decisions. Sometimes, court opinions are clear. But more frequently, as many law students across the country will tell you, they can be difficult and arcane. The most challenging sort, however, are the decisions where the law is clear, but the outcome is unfair or illogical.

Neponset River

Andrea had never been on a kayak before. In fact, she was terrified of the water. But after one short kayaking trip in Newton, she wanted nothing more than to share the exhilarating experience with her family. The river had sparked something in her – a new connection with the natural world.