EELU News And Events

his day offers an opportunity to reflect on the history of Indigenous peoples, their rich and diverse traditions and cultures, and their foundational influence on the environment and natural lands. Read More

Browner drew on her nearly four decades of experience advising on environmental and energy policies affecting global energy, the environment and public health to discuss with Vandenbergh current action on climate change, including the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. Vandenbergh worked for Browner as the EPA's chief of staff early in his career. Read More

Vandenbergh and Shewmake discuss their research showing the importance of the work-from-home transition for climate policy and recommend that employers include greenhouse gas emissions attributable to employees working from home in reporting their environmental impact. Read More

Watch a Sept. 6, 2022, panel discussion featuring energy expert Jim Rossi, environmental regulatory scholars J.B. Ruhl and Mike Vandenbergh, and land use expert Chris Serkin, who address the impact of West Virginia v. EPA on the ability of the federal government to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The discussion was moderated by EELU program director Caroline Cox. Read More

Browner’s lecture is made possible by the Sally Shallenberger Brown EELU Program Fund and sponsored by the Energy, Environment and Land Use Program. Browner became the longest serving EPA administrator in history under President Bill Clinton and was director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy in the Obama administration. She now practices as a senior counsel with Covington & Burling. Read More

Research by Climate Change Research Network Director Michael Vandenbergh is cited in this Fast Company article about a private eco-labeling system developed by Climate Neutral that certifies carbon-neutral products from businesses that also have a plan in place for future carbon reduction. Read More

Owens has served on the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board since December 2021. He has practiced environmental law in Phoenix, Arizona, and has previously served as the EPA's assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. Read More

Ruhl likened the EPA's situation to a Goldilocks scenario, in which the agency must strive to achieve a balance between the Court's finding in 2007 that the EPA wasn’t doing enough to regulate greenhouse gases and its decision in West Virginia v. EPA that it was trying to do too much. “You can’t do nothing just because it’s a big problem, but you can’t do too much because it’s a big problem. So what’s just right?” Ruhl said. Read More

In an interview with WPLN public radio reporter Caroline Eggers, Vandenbergh discussed the implications of the Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. EPA. "We are going to solve this problem," Vandenbergh said. "The opinion...just tells us we're going to have to solve this problem without the Supreme Court's help." Read More

Ruhl says that one important theme informing changes to Endangered Species Act programs that "climate change is transforming ecosystems in ways that could make areas outside current and even historical range of a species—and even areas that would not currently be occupiable—occupiable." Read More