On February 14, ELI launched the Pro Bono Clearinghouse to ensure that communities with viable environmental legal matters get the representation they need, whether that be in a courtroom, in front of an agency, or in a more facilitative or consultative fashion. In this episode, Kristine Perry, a staff attorney at ELI, is joined by Scott Wilson Badenoch Jr., a Visiting Attorney at ELI, and Arielle King, ELI’s Environmental Justice Staff Attorney, to talk about ELI’s newest environmental justice initiative and how it works.
Environmental Justice (EJ) has gained new momentum in recent years, amplified by a global focus on social justice, climate, and equity. Yet this new-found energy and focus on environmental is best understood through the lens of those who have been working toward EJ for decades. In this episode, John Cruden, a Principal at Beveridge & Diamond, talks to renowned EJ leader and advocate Benjamin F. Wilson. Ben, who recently retired after serving years as Chairman of Beveridge & Diamond, has deep experience with EJ representations and is a recognized leader on diversity, equity and inclusion issues in the legal profession.
10 Environmental Podcasts to Listen to in 2022
Ecowatch (by Darlena Cunha)
February 6, 2022
Fires in the Amazon and the Arctic, hurricanes in Europe, volcanic eruptions and polar vortexes … Extreme weather events are becoming much more widespread and routine, but we don’t have to be terrified. There is so much we can still do to stop the march of climate change. Many thoughtful activists, educators and leaders are working non-stop to fight the climate crisis. In 2022, it’s our time to learn and advocate, and these podcasts lead the way. Here are the top 10 environmental podcasts you should listen to this year: 1. People, Places, Planet Podcast . . . .
The nuanced yet far-reaching oil leasing ruling
Axios (by Andrew Freedman & Ben Geman)
January 31, 2022
The court decision late last week to halt a large lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico was both nuanced and far-reaching.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment & Natural Resources Division (ENRD) is tasked with enforcing the United States’ civil and criminal environmental laws. In this episode, Nicole Noelliste, a managing associate in the environmental practice at Sidley Austin LLP, talks with John Cruden, former Assistant Attorney General of the ENRD (2015-2017), and David Buente, former Chief of the ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section (1985-1990). John and David share insights on the organizational development of the Environmental Crimes Section and Environmental Enforcement Section of ENRD and discuss key landmark cases such as Love Canal. The episode is part of The Enforcement Angle series, featuring conversations about state and federal enforcement of environmental laws and regulations with senior enforcement officials and thought leaders on environmental enforcement in the United States and globally.
Sharks play an essential role in the marine ecosystem. But many species of migratory sharks and rays have become endangered due to overfishing and excessive bycatch in industrial fisheries. And given their migratory nature, sharks and rays are “beyond the national jurisdiction” of any one nation and therefore difficult to protect and regulate. Greta Swanson, a Visiting Attorney at ELI, offers insight on key international agreements that regulate the conservation and management of migratory sharks and rays.
Environmental justice embraces the principle that all people deserve equal access to environmental protection and enforcement while acknowledging the fact that, both historically and still today, this fails to play out in reality. Recognizing that the legal system has contributed to an unequal distribution of environmental burdens and benefits, ELI is committed to providing research and educational tools to help alleviate the harm faced by environmental justice communities across the nation. In this episode, Arielle King, ELI’s Environmental Justice Staff Attorney, shares with listeners some of the tools ELI is developing to eliminate the harmful impacts of environmental injustice.
Congress' climate inaction puts spotlight on the courts
ClimateWire (by Lesley Clark)
December 23, 2021
Courts in the United States and abroad served as flashpoints on climate change this year as governments struggled to address the growing threat.
Ocean Policy Guru Takes Helm at Environmental Law Institute
Greenwire (by Pamela King)
January 3, 2022
The Environmental Law Institute yesterday welcomed Jordan Diamond as its next president. Diamond has recently held leadership positions at her alma mater the University of California, Berkeley, where she has overseen initiatives related to climate, energy and marine policy. She replaces former EPA general counsel Scott Fulton, who served for about six years as president of ELI, a leading nonpartisan voice on environmental education, policy and law. “For over 50 years, ELI has been an unassailable source of leading insight on environmental law and policy.