Environmental & Energy Law Program |
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This issue of the newsletter summarizes several recent program events and spotlights significant faculty and student achievements and activities. It also previews upcoming program events.
Randall Abate
Assistant Dean for Environmental Law Studies
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2024 J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Distinguished Lecture on Global Climate Change and Energy Law |
On October 29, 2024, GW’s Environmental and Energy Law program hosted the Third Annual J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Distinguished Lecture on Global Climate Change and Energy Law. This year’s event featured Dr. Beatriz Martinez Romera, head of the Center for Climate Change and Governance (CLIMA) and an Associate Professor of Environmental and Climate Change Law at the University of Copenhagen Faculty of Law. Dr. Martinez Romera’s lecture addressed the International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping and issues related to international environmental law and environmental justice.
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Professor Emily Hammond Appointed New Faculty Director of Academic Sustainability Programs
In a recent interview, Professor Hammond shared their plans and initiatives aimed at promoting a dynamic and multidisciplinary sustainability curriculum for the GW community.
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Chilean Delegation Visits GW Law |
From September 3 to 5, 2024, GW Law School hosted a delegation from the Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD), led by Professor Raul F. Campusano, Director of Graduate Programs. This interdisciplinary group of 11 professionals—including lawyers, engineers, and geographers—brought diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to advancing expertise in environmental law. The visit commenced with a welcome address from Dean Randall Abate on September 3 and included a networking event that fostered meaningful connections the next day. Over their three-day engagement, the delegation attended and participated in several courses in GW Law’s environmental and energy law curriculum ranging from Energy Law and Regulation to International Environmental Law.. This exchange not only strengthened ties between UDD Law School and the GW Law community but also laid a robust foundation for future collaborations. Check out photo gallery.
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GW Environmental Law Fellows Share Global Environmental Governance Insights |
On September 19, 2024, GW Law’s Environmental & Energy Law Program hosted the Environmental Law Fellows Panel, moderated by Dean Randall Abate, which showcased the impactful careers and scholarship of four distinguished fellows. Visit the GW Point Source to learn more.
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Conversation and Book Signing with David B. Spence | Climate of Contempt |
On Monday, September 23, The George Washington University’s Alliance for a Sustainable Future and the Environmental and Energy Law Program hosted a conversation featuring Professor David B. Spence, on his recent book, Climate of Contempt: How to Rescue the U.S. Energy Transition from Voter Partisanship. The event commenced with opening remarks from Professor Emily Hammond, who introduced the speaker, Professor Spence. Professor Frank Sesno a professor in GW's School of Media and Public Affairs and the executive director of the Alliance for a Sustainable Future, presented some questions about key themes in the book. Spence addressed the effects of polarization, partisanship, and propaganda on energy policy and considered how to build a broader climate coalition. Following the discussion, a reception and book signing attracted a diverse audience of students, professionals, and scholars in environmental and energy law and policy.
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Panel and Networking Reception at Bracewell LLP on the Future of Liquefied Natural Gas |
On September 26, GW Law's Environmental & Energy Law Program and the law firm Bracewell LLP invited students, policymakers, energy professionals, and interested parties to an afternoon panel on the future of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a networking reception. The panelists shared the latest information on the global LNG market, discussed regulatory developments from the EU and the U.S., and offered some predictions on what to expect in the market after the upcoming election in the U.S. The speakers included Professor Catherine Banet, a specialist in Energy Law and Head of the Department for Energy and Resources Law at the University of Oslo; James Waddell, Head of European Gas and Global LNG at Energy Aspects; and George Fatula, Partner at Bracewell LLP’s DC office. The Environmental & Energy Law Program extends its appreciation to the speakers for their valuable insights and to Bracewell LLP for hosting this event, and extends special thanks to Kevin Ewing, Partner at Bracewell, for his support.
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The Public Policy Rationale for Carbon Capture and Storage with Professor Keith Hall |
On October 10, Professor Keith Hall, Director of the Energy Law Center and Professor of Law at LSU Law, delivered a guest lecture at GW Law before joining a panel with Donna Attanasio, Managing Director of GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future, and Scott Sklar, President of The Stella Group, Ltd. Dean Kris Svendsen moderated the panel. Professor Keith Hall discussed the policy considerations and technological advancements surrounding CCS, a critical technology in the fight against climate change. The event attracted a diverse audience of students, industry experts, and environmental advocates.
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A Global Leader in the Youth Climate Justice Movement Speaks at GW |
On October 3, Luisa Neubauer, a German climate activist, politician, and author, delivered an inspiring lecture to a capacity crowd at GW Law's Jacob Burns Moot Court Room. The event began with introductory remarks from Frank Sesno, a professor in GW's School of Media and Public Affairs and the executive director of the Alliance for a Sustainable Future. Professor Sesno praised Luisa Nuebauer's pioneering leadership and tireless efforts to galvanize young people to take action on climate change. Neubauer spoke about how she was drawn to environmental activism, the lessons she learned as a leader in climate movements, and her experience as the co-founder of Fridays For Future—an international movement that has brought hundreds of thousands of people into the streets to demand action on climate change. She stressed that the climate movements in the U.S. and Europe can learn from each other's experience. In the second part of the event, a group of panelists joined Luisa and discussed various topics surrounding her work. Visit GW Today to learn more.
The event was co-sponsored by GW’s Alliance for a Sustainable Future, the nonprofit Heinrich Böll Foundation, GW Law’s Environmental and Energy Law Program and the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at GW's Elliott School of International Affairs.
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GW Journal of Energy and Environmental Law, Issue 15:2 (Fall 2024) |
The GW Journal of Energy & Environmental Law (JEEL) published volume 15 number 2 in Fall 2024. The three articles, authored by Rebecca Bratspies (CUNY School of Law), Prakriti Shah (GW LL.M. 2024), and Carlton Waterhouse (Howard University School of Law), addressed the New York City Climate Mobilization Act, right to fish and fishing communities in India, and Environmental Justice frameworks, respectively. To learn more, visit JEEL’s website.
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Student & Alumni Spotlights |
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Anna Aguilar 3L, Sidney Lee 3L, Jaylah Richie 2L, and Emma Stinson 3L, students in the GW Health Equity Policy & Advocacy Clinic – Environmental Justice (EJ) Division, successfully drafted and submitted comments to the Department of Housing and Urban Development arguing for the protection of children from lead hazards. Visit the GW Point Source to learn more.
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Anna Chikovani, LLM '24, joined Ørsted North America as a Contract Manager. A global leader in renewable energy with a strong focus on offshore wind, Ørsted plays a crucial role in advancing the energy transition. As a contract manager, Anna will support construction and implementation of offshore wind projects in New England.
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James Crisafulli, JD '24, joined the Washington, D.C. office of DiCello Levitt LLP as an associate attorney on the environmental litigation team. He is working on cutting-edge climate change cases, helping file new lawsuits to respond to environmental disasters, and is learning from top litigators in environmental law, mass torts, and a host of other practice areas.
- Dylan Basescu, JD '24, joined Protect PT in Pittsburgh as a Staff Attorney. In this position, he will protect the environment and health of local communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
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Carson Robb, JD ‘25, will join the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as an Honor Law Graduate. In this role, Carson will take part in a two-year program designed to provide him with maximum exposure to the work of the OGC. Following this, He will be placed as a permanent federal attorney in one of the Office’s divisions.
- Janessa Brito, LLM '24, had her LL.M. thesis, A National Security Threat Without Borders: Climate Change and the Need for Air Force Facility Modernization with Top-Down Action in Environmental and Procurement Measures, accepted for publication in the Environmental Law Institute's Environmental Law Reporter (forthcoming January 2025).
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Juliette Jackson, LLM '24, had her LL.M. thesis, Stop Killing the Klamath: Rights of Nature Protections with the National Historic Preservation Act for a Tribe on the Front Lines of Climate Change, accepted for publication in volume 24 of the Tribal Law Journal (University of New Mexico School of Law) (forthcoming spring 2025).
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Fernando Muñoz, LLM '24, published an essay, Human Rights: The Pending Issue in the Upcoming Global Plastics Treaty, which addresses the main key provisions of the draft treaty and its failure to adequately address human rights issues. Fernando´s publication is available in the GW Point Source.
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Patrick Seroogy, 3L student, published an article, Hydrogen Buses Charged by a Solar-Powered Microgrid: Linking Clean Energy and Clean Transit in Montgomery County, Maryland, which discusses the legal framework (mainly as it relates to the Maryland Public Service Commission's jurisdiction) for building a Montgomery County bus depot that sits on a microgrid, is powered by solar energy, and has an on-site electrolyzer producing hydrogen for future buses running on hydrogen cells. Patrick's publication is available in the GW Point Source.
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Climate-related Displacement in the United States: Perspectives for Receiving Communities
November 12, 2024
Virtual event
12.00 – 1.30 pm
With sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and other climate impacts, many communities will be displaced in the coming years. This webinar will present legal and policy perspectives on “receiving communities” in the United States. Some locations are already being forced to consider relocation or “managed retreat.” But where will the displaced populations go? To date, there is no comprehensive policy strategy to inform internal displacement in the U.S. This panel of experts will discuss an ongoing initiative that is underway and explore governance options and policy frameworks that could be implemented for receiving communities.
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Save the Date
The 2025 J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium
March 20, 2025 | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Theme: The Intersection of International Investment Law, International Environmental Law and International Human Rights Law
Policies aimed at the expansion of transnational capital are sometimes implemented at the expense of growing social inequality and environmental degradation in host countries. The 2025 Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium will address the treatment of environmental and human rights norms in the context of the arbitration between foreign investors and host states. As calls for greater public involvement and environmental awareness in investment arbitration grow louder, this Symposium sheds light on critical issues affecting our global community.
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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 published an op-ed article, Big Oil Climate Ruling Sets Dangerous Liability Precedent, in September 2024 in Law360. He also served as a co-editor of articles for a special research topic, Unveiling the nexus between animal welfare, the environment and sustainable development, published in volume 5 of Frontiers in Animal Science (Section on Animal Welfare and Policy) (Aug. 2024). Dean Abate delivered in-person lectures and panel presentations on climate migration, CAFOs and climate change, climate change and the voiceless, and climate change and the protection of future generations at events hosted at Stanford Law School, the University of Florida Department of Urban and Regional Planning, the University of Rochester, and GW Law. He also delivered online lectures for events hosted at Universidad de La Sabana (Chia, Colombia) and Alliance University (Bangalore, India).
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Professor Robert Glicksman published the second edition of his co-authored book Stay Ahead of the Pack: Your Comprehensive Guide to the Upper Level Curriculum (West Academic). His piece on the Supreme Court's decision in the Jarkesy case was published in the Widener Commonwealth Law Review. He also delivered a presentation on The State of the Administrative State during the 8th Annual Policy Conference of the Ecological Restoration Business Association in Washington, D.C. He appeared in multiple media mentions including GREENWIRE, Regulatory Review, ALM/LAW.COM, and IBA.
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Professor Emily Hammond moderated a discussion on nuclear safety, civil liability, and nuclear damage, The Law of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Safety in the Midst of World Challenges (IAEA), in Washington, D.C. They also served as a panelist at the Howard University Energy Justice Workshop & Policy Dialogue, addressing community vetoes and the clean energy transition.
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Professor Robin L. Juni was Co-Investigator for the GWU Sustainability Research Institute Innovation Fund Grant and received one of four GWU-wide competitive grants for 2024-25. She also presented a paper, Preparing Students for Non-Litigation Roles in a Global Legal Career, at the Global Legal Skills Conference, organized by the University of Bari, Italy (June 2024).
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Professor LeRoy Paddock published an article, Resource Efficiency and Net Zero Buildings in Net Zero and Natural Resources Law, Sovereignty, Security, and Solidarity in the Clean Energy Transition (Oxford University Press, 2024). He also moderated a panel on "Energy, Justice Policy & Legislation" at Howard University that was part of a Southern Methodist University, Resources for the Future program on "Energy Justice in the Energy Transition" on September 26. He also delivered a lecture on Permit Streamlining at the Inter-American Development Bank's Regional Policy Dialogue in Santiago Chile on October 15.
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Professor Giovanna Gismondi delivered a presentation at the 11th Annual Future Environmental Law Professors Workshop (FELPW) on September 6, 2024, at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She also delivered a presentation, “The Latest Developments on the Right to a Healthy Environment within the Inter-American Human Rights System,” as a panelists on the GW Environmental Law Fellows Panel, organized by The GW Environmental Law Program on September 19, 2024. Her most recent interview on her academic and professional journey is published with the Human Rights Institute at Georgetown Law.
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Stay connected with us on social media. Check our event page for more news and updates.
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