April 2016
On behalf of the Environmental Law Institute, I would like to wish a happy Earth Day to one and all. Lady Bird Johnson once said, “The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.” In our celebration of Earth Day at the Institute, we are reflecting on the world community’s collective engagement in addressing environmental issues. Our own activities today extend far from our headquarters in Washington, DC.
Today, I am traveling to Brazil to participate in two events: the launch of a Global Judicial Institute for the Environment and the first World Congress on Environmental Rule of Law. These events will provide a forum for members of the judiciary, attorneys general and auditors general from across the globe to discuss the theme of environmental rule of law, justice, and planetary sustainability. ELI’s Vice President of Programs and Publications, Jay Pendergrass, will be joining me in Brazil, but is in Dallas today representing ELI at Earth Day Texas. He is speaking at a special legal symposium on the challenges of water supply in the United States now and in the next 50 years.
We are excited to be releasing today an online collection of videotaped oral histories of pioneers in the environmental movement just in time for Earth Day. The videos provide first-hand interviews of men and women from a variety of career backgrounds who were instrumental in catalyzing the environmental laws of the 1970s that have served as the bedrock of environmental protection in the decades since. We encourage you to view on our website their compelling stories of their common quests for the protection of public health and the environment.
Although today serves as a special reminder of the imperative for collaborative action across the globe to preserve and improve the environment, ELI remains committed to achieving its vision of a healthy environment, prosperous economies, and vibrant communities founded on the rule of law every day. We hope you will take some time today to celebrate Earth Day in your own way.