Environmental & Energy Law Program |
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This issue highlights recent program events, including our annual Shapiro Distinguished Lecture; previews upcoming program events, including a special edition of our annual Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium; and celebrates significant achievements and activities of our faculty, alumni, and students, including the national recognition for Professor Sara Bronin’s scholarship.
Randall Abate
Assistant Dean for Environmental Law Studies
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2025 J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Distinguished Lecture on Global Climate Change and Energy Law |
On September 23, 2025, GW’s Environmental and Energy Law program hosted the Fourth Annual J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Distinguished Lecture on Global Climate Change and Energy Law. This year’s event featured Professor Lyndon W. Jay Huffington, a Colombian legal scholar from Universidad Externado de Colombia with over a decade of experience in the mining-energy sector. Professor Huffington’s lecture, “Clean Energy, Dirty Secrets,” explored Latin America’s struggles with illegal mining, the social and environmental costs of the clean energy transition, and the potential of artificial intelligence to advance environmental justice. Check out the photo gallery.
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Professor Sara Bronin Receives Heinz Award for the Economy |
Professor Sara Bronin, a Mexican American architect, attorney, and professor of law, has earned national recognition for her pioneering scholarship and advocacy on zoning reform. Through her book, Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World, and her leadership in founding the National Zoning Atlas (NZA), Professor Bronin has revealed how zoning laws—often shrouded in technical complexity—profoundly influence housing, education, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability across the United States. Complementing this work, her National Preservation Atlas enhances transparency in historic preservation, while her leadership as chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation advanced federal policies on climate change, housing, and the integration of Indigenous Knowledge. Professor Bronin commented, “Zoning affects nearly every aspect of our lives — from where we live and work to how we move and interact — yet it remains one of the least understood systems shaping our communities.”
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Professor Taylor Lilley to Lead GW Law’s Environmental Justice Division Clinic |
In spring 2026, GW Law will welcome Professor Taylor Lilley to lead the Environmental Justice Division of the school’s Access to Justice Clinic. With a deep background in environmental advocacy, community-centered practice, and landmark litigation, Lilley is poised to guide law students in advancing equitable environmental outcomes. Through real-world engagement and collaborative representation, she seeks to strengthen community voices in Washington, D.C., and broaden access to environmental justice. Read the full interview on The GW Point Source.
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Driving Tribal Energy Sovereignty: A Look Back at “Native Nations in the Energy Transition” |
On October 2, 2025, GW Law hosted Native Nations in the Energy Transition, a dynamic event that brought together researchers, legal experts, and Tribal leaders to discuss the future of Tribal energy sovereignty and share the results of a four-year collaborative project supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The project—led by researchers from SMU, Resources for the Future (RFF), and the University of Arizona in partnership with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe—explores how Tribal Nations can advance energy sovereignty and self-determination in the context of the energy transition.
Speakers including Daniel Raimi, Brian Prest, and Alexandra Thompson (RFF), Monika Ehrman (SMU), and Tai Kondo Koester (University of Arizona) presented key findings, while Demi Morishige of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe shared essential on-the-ground perspectives. Additional insights from Angela Parker (Mandan, Hidatsa, Cree; University of Denver) and Pilar Thomas (Pasqua Yaqui Tribe; Quarles & Brady) emphasized the importance of ethical, reciprocal partnerships between academia and Tribal Nations.
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Success in D.C.: Leaders Forge Path to De-Risking Africa’s Strategic Investments |
On September 18–19, 2025, the Africa Leaders & Partners Forum 2025, co-hosted by The George Washington University and the EBII Group at the Jack Morton Auditorium, was a resounding success. The event brought together visionary leaders, investors, and policymakers from Africa, the United States, and beyond to discuss how to “de-risk” investment in Africa’s strategic sectors—agriculture, the energy transition, and critical minerals. Over two days, participants moved beyond high-level policy dialogue to focus on concrete strategies for unlocking sustainable capital and strengthening cross-continental collaboration.
Participants heard from an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX); and H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas of the African Union Development Agency. Together, they offered powerful insights on strengthening cross-continental partnerships, advancing food security, and accelerating Africa’s energy transition.
Discussions on governance and financial integrity also took center stage, with Deputy Assistant Secretary William Stevens of the U.S. Department of State and Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), emphasizing that transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption measures are essential to fostering investor confidence and creating a more predictable investment landscape across the continent.
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Book Talk: Waters of the United States | Professor Roy Gardner |
On September 18, 2025, the Environmental and Energy Law Program hosted a book talk featuring Professor Roy Gardner of Stetson University College of Law, on his new book, Waters of the United States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource. The event began with introductory remarks from Dean Abate who welcomed attendees and highlighted the significance of Gardner’s work in ongoing debates over wetlands protections. Professor Gardner traced the historical roots of federal water quality regulation, examined the evolution of the Clean Water Act and the contested definition of “waters of the United States,” and reflected on the implications of recent Supreme Court decisions, including Sackett v. EPA. Following the discussion, a reception and book signing gave students, faculty, and practitioners an opportunity to continue the conversation on the future of U.S. water protection. To learn more visit The GW Point Source. Check out the photo gallery.
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Student & Alumni Spotlights |
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Matthew Eaton, JD '25, had his paper, Whose Fish Are Those? Addressing Fisheries Collapse in the South China Sea by Disentangling Ocean Governance from the Territorial Dispute, accepted for publication in Volume 49 of Environs Environmental Law and Policy Journal at UC Davis School of Law (forthcoming Fall 2025). The paper examines the challenge of overfishing in the South China Sea and highlights the shortcomings of UNCLOS and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in addressing overlapping territorial and fisheries management disputes. Drawing from comparative governance models—including U.S.-Canada fisheries cooperation, the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, and the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling—Matt proposes a non-binding international agreement open to all states. Scheduled to graduate in December 2025, Matt has also completed internships with the National Nuclear Security Administration, the American Red Cross, and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
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Patrick Seroogy, JD ’25, had his paper, “TAC-ing” on Coherence: Achieving Sustainable Baltic Sea Fisheries Management by Hooking Precautionary Science and Greater Transparency in EU Total Allowable Catch Negotiations, accepted for publication in Volume 31 of the Ocean and Coastal Law Journal at the University of Maine School of Law (forthcoming January 2026). The paper examines the scope and impacts of overfishing in the Baltic Sea, contrasting the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) with the more effective U.S. Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA). Patrick recommends reforms to the CFP, including stricter catch limits based on scientific advice, stronger precautionary TAC measures, a new scientific consultation process, and records of decision to enhance transparency in fisheries management. A May 2025 graduate of GW Law, Patrick is an EHS Regulatory Consultant at Enhesa, where he advises companies on compliance with environmental, health, and safety laws.
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Jadwiga Gorgon, LLM ’25, has been appointed Chief Specialist in the Offshore Wind Energy Unit of the Department of Renewable Energy Sources at the Ministry of Climate and Environment of the Republic of Poland. She assumed this role after earning a dual LLM degree through a joint degree program with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. In her position, she will concentrate on advancing offshore wind energy development in Poland and will play an active role in shaping and implementing key regulatory frameworks to support the sector’s growth and sustainability.
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Harshitha Holmes, JD ’25, is pursuing a Legal Fellowship with ClientEarth USA, a global nonprofit and leader in environmental law. In this role, she will focus on litigation, policy advocacy, and high-impact legal research aimed at holding corporations accountable and protecting the planet. She will begin her fellowship during Team Week in Santa Monica and looks forward to collaborating with her new colleagues in person.
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Meera Aiyer, J.D ’25, is serving as an ocean justice and climate displacement consultant for Ocean Nexus, working this fall under the supervision of Dean Abate on an ocean equity paper, Now You Sea Me, Now You Don't: A "Climate Displacement Equity" Framework for Sinking Nations. Her paper will be published in the William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review (ELPR) symposium issue in Spring 2026, and she will present it at the ELPR’s symposium in March. Later this fall, Meera will begin a full-time position with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.
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Laura Serna Mosquera, LLM ’25, presented her research at the webinar, Immobility in the Greater Caribbean. Her presentation analyzed the case of San Andrés and Providencia, examining climate (im)mobility in Colombia, recent legal and policy advances, and the challenges ahead to strengthen justice-based responses. Laura is a fellow at the Global Centre for Climate Mobility.
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Indigenous Peoples’ Rights to Territorial Control in Latin America: Challenges and Policy Responses
November 5, 2025
Virtual / Webinar
12:00 – 1:30 pm
Across Latin America, Indigenous peoples face mounting pressures from development projects, extractive industries, and securitization policies that undermine territorial rights and self-determination. This webinar brings together leading experts to examine international law, the politics of consultation, intercultural fire management, and the erosion of collective rights in Indigenous territories. Panelists will discuss challenges and policy responses, offering comparative perspectives from Peru, the Andes, and Ecuador, and highlighting pathways for more inclusive and just governance of natural resources.
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The 2026 J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium: Adapting to Paradigm Shifts in Environmental & Energy Law in the United States
February 19-20, 2026
Environmental and energy law in the United States stand at a critical crossroads. As climate change, shifting political dynamics, and growing resource constraints place increasing pressure on existing legal frameworks, new approaches are emerging to advance sustainability, accountability, and resilience. The 2026 Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium will bring together leading scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to examine the evolving boundaries of environmental and energy law in the United States.
Over a day and a half of panels and discussions, participants will explore how scholars and practitioners are responding to rapid ecological, technological, economic, and legal change, with particular attention to the roles of markets, justice, and governance in shaping the future of environmental protection.
Confirmed keynote speakers, panelists, and moderators include: Prof. Robert Glicksman, (The George Washington University Law School); Prof. William Buzbee (Georgetown University Law Center); Prof. Jaclyn Lopez (Stetson University College of Law); Prof. Charles Lee (luncheon keynote) (Howard University School of Law); Prof. Caroline Cecot (The George Washington University Law School), and many more.
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The Environmental & Energy Law faculty and staff have been working hard publishing articles and textbooks, participating in panels, and delivering presentations on various topics. A summary of select faculty publications and presentations appears below. The full list of scholarship can be found on our Faculty Publications Page.
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Dean Randall Abate submitted the 55,000-word second edition updates in September 2025 for his book, Climate Change and the Voiceless: Protecting Future Generations, Wildlife, and Natural Resources (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2026). He also co-authored two articles accepted for publication in early 2026 in the Virginia Journal of International Law on climate arbitration in Latin America and on ocean equity and anti-subordination in Marine Policy. Dean Abate also delivered in-person lectures on climate migration governance, strategic climate litigation, climate change and the voiceless, and the parallels and synergies between animal and environmental law at events hosted at the University of Gothenburg Faculty of Law (Sweden), the University of North Florida, Florida A&M University College of Law, George Washington University, and Rollins College. He also delivered online lectures on strategic climate litigation and climate migration governance for events hosted by the Climate Justice Awareness Network and Gujarat Law Society (GLS) University Faculty of Law (Ahmedabad, India).
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Dean Kristoffer Svendsen has been actively shaping discussions on energy and natural resources through a series of widely read publications and media commentary. He has co-authored several pieces in The National Interest on topics ranging from Taiwan’s rare entry into the Alaska energy market and the Trump administration’s approach to conditional non-FTA authorizations, to debates over wind power, the growth of offshore wind, and shifting dynamics in the fertilizer and mineral resource sectors. In addition, Dean Svendsen has contributed commentary to Global Construction Review, both in a published piece on offshore wind’s economic promise and as a quoted expert on the administration’s reversal of support for New York’s Empire Wind project. Together, these contributions highlight his expertise at the intersection of energy law, international trade, and the geopolitics of natural resources.
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Professor Robert Glicksman has had an active year in scholarship, congressional testimony, conferences, and public commentary. In August 2025, he co-authored the fourth edition of Administrative Law: Agency Action in Legal Context (Foundation Press) with Robert Levy and David Adelman, and also contributed to the latest editions of NEPA Law and Litigation and Public Natural Resources Law (Thomson Reuters). In September, he testified on key environmental law issues—first at a Senate panel on “The Procedural Hangover: How NEPA Litigation Obstructs Critical Projects,” and then before the House Committee on Natural Resources on the “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act.” He also participated in a workshop at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School on “The Supreme Court’s New ‘Arbitrary and Capricious’ Standard and APA Originalism.” His expertise and congressional testimony have been widely cited in national media, including The New York Times, Detroit Free Press, Law360, Inside EPA, Utility Dive, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the Washington Blade, and others, reflecting his continued influence on debates over NEPA, permitting reform, and federal regulatory policy.
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Professor Caroline Cecot has recently advanced work at the intersection of law, policy, and regulation through her scholarship, professional appointments, and participation in high-profile events. Together with her coauthors, she recently completed a supplement to the Environmental Law and Policy casebook, updating it to reflect recent cases and regulatory developments in environmental law. She was also appointed as a Public Member of the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) and joined its Regulation Committee, where she is contributing to a recommendation on consultation practices with states, tribal governments, and local governments.
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Professor Sara Bronin delivered a series of lectures and keynote addresses across the country in 2025, presenting her book Key to the City and the findings of the National Zoning Atlas. Highlights include talks at the New York City Department of City Planning on September 26, the American University Washington College of Law on September 25, and Texans for Housing and Urban Austin Reads on September 18, among many others. She also gave keynote presentations for the Arizona Department of Housing and the Livability in the Land of Enchantment Speaker Series, underscoring her role in shaping national conversations on zoning reform, housing affordability, and land use regulation. Complementing her public engagement, Professor Bronin published influential scholarship in the Yale Law Journal Forum and Vertical Urbanism and coauthored the fourth edition of the leading textbook, Land Use Regulation. Through these combined efforts, she continues to advance innovative and practical approaches to zoning and housing policy.
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Professor Giovanna E. Gismondi’s article, From the Right to Property to the Right to a Healthy Environment: Advancing Climate Justice through the Inter-American Human Rights System, has been accepted for publication in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law. The piece traces the evolution of environmental protection within the Inter-American system, examining how the framework has shifted from a property-centered approach toward recognition of a substantive right to a healthy environment, and considers the implications of this development for advancing climate justice. This forthcoming publication underscores Professor Gismondi’s continuing contributions to scholarship at the intersection of human rights and environmental law.
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