Environmental & Energy Law Program |
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This issue highlights recent program events, including our annual Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium, and celebrates significant achievements and activities of our faculty and students, including the national recognition for Professor Caroline Cecot’s environmental law scholarship.
Randall Abate
Assistant Dean for Environmental Law Studies
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The Environmental Law Reporter Recognizes Professor Cecot as a Top Contributor to Environmental Law Literature |
Each year, the Environmental Law Reporter, in partnership with Vanderbilt University Law School, publishes a report evaluating recent scholarship in environmental law. The Analysis of Environmental Law Scholarship for 2022-2023, published in 2024, identifies the "Top 20" environmental law articles, selected based on persuasiveness, impact, feasibility, and creativity. GW Law’s Environmental and Energy Law program is proud to share that Professor Cecot’s article, Efficiency and Equity in Regulation, 76 Vand. L. Rev. 361 (2023), was recognized as one of the Top 20. Congratulations to Professor Cecot on this prestigious honor! Our summer newsletter will feature a full story on Professor Cecot joining the Environmental and Energy Law Faculty in August 2025.
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2025 Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium Explores Foreign Investment, Human Rights, and Environmental Protection |
On March 20, 2025, GW Law’s Environmental and Energy Law Program hosted its annual J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium. This year’s theme, “Foreign Investment and the Environment: Local Communities, Human Rights, and Dispute Resolution,” assembled leading experts, advocates, and practitioners from across the globe to examine some of the most pressing challenges at the intersection of foreign investment law, human rights, and environmental protection.
The symposium featured a powerful keynote address by Professor James Anaya, University Distinguished Professor and Nicholas Doman Professor of International Law at the University of Colorado Law School. Professor Anaya explored the complex relationship between foreign investment—particularly in extractive industries and large-scale development—and the protection of Indigenous rights and cultural heritage.
Throughout the day, four dynamic panels engaged on as wide range of issues related to the symposium theme.
To learn more, visit this article in GW Today summarizing the event. A recording of the event is available on the GW Environmental and Energy Law Program YouTube Channel.
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GW Law Students Excel at National Environmental Negotiation Competition |
Sam Flanzer, JD ‘25 and Lily Walton, JD ‘25, displayed exceptional advocacy and teamwork as they advanced to the semi-final round of the Robert R. Merhige, Jr. National Environmental Negotiation Competition. The event was hosted at the University of Richmond School of Law and featured negotiation teams from across the country to tackle complex legal issues rooted in environmental law. Flanzer and Walton were coached by adjunct professor Randy Hill, who brings extensive real-world experience to the team as Associate General Counsel in the Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under his guidance, the duo engaged in three challenging negotiation rounds, skillfully navigating intricate legal, regulatory, and policy concerns.
Reflecting on their performance, Professor Hill praised their strategic approach and professionalism:
“They negotiated a favorable resolution of the issues in all three rounds they participated in. They worked great together as a team. It was my honor and pleasure to work with them this spring!”
For more information about the competition, including this year’s format and participating schools, please visit the competition website.
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GW Law Students Present Groundbreaking Environmental Research at Major Environmental Law Conferences |
This spring, three GW Law students showcased their research on cutting-edge international environmental law issues at prestigious conferences around the nation and the world. Building on papers developed in Dean Randall Abate’s Fall 2024 International Environmental Law course, the students presented in person at events hosted by the National University of Singapore, Yale Law School, and Stetson University College of Law. Their work addressed topics including decarbonizing maritime shipping, regulating high-seas seaweed farming as a form of marine geoengineering, and reforming marine wildlife trade protections under CITES. Their presentations extended GW Law’s Environmental Law program’s growing influence in shaping the future of environmental law and policy. To learn more, visit the GW Point Source.
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GW Journal of Energy and Environmental Law, Volume 16:1 (April 2025) |
The GW Journal of Energy & Environmental Law (JEEL) published Volume 16, Number 1 in April 2025, featuring three insightful articles addressing the ethical and legal challenges of sea level rise and coastal property. Keith W. Rizzardi (Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law) explores the ethical dilemmas facing real estate and legal professionals; Joel Scata (Natural Resources Defense Council) & Zoe Vogel (Fishman Haygood LLP) analyze disclosure gaps and inconsistencies in climate-related risk reporting; and Robin Willscheidt (O'Melveny & Myers LLP) & Robin Kundis Craig (University of Kansas School of Law) examine the complex legal questions surrounding government responses to sea level rise, including potential takings liability. To learn more, click here.
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Student & Alumni Spotlights |
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Nicole Bessette, LLM ’25, had her article, Climate Change and Digital Nations: Harnessing the Metaverse to Perpetuate Small Island Statehood, accepted for publication in Volume 36 of the Villanova Environmental Law Journal (forthcoming Spring 2025). The article describes how climate change threatens the statehood of small island developing states (SIDS) and examines how they are responding to preserve their territories. It reviews the criteria for statehood under international law and recent legal initiatives that SIDS have undertaken to protect their statehood in response to climate change-related sea level rise.
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Emme Lighthouse, JD ‘26, had her article, Saving Nemo: The Banggai Cardinalfish as a Case Study to Enhance Protections Under CITES to Protect Marine Ornamental Fish from Overfishing, accepted for publication in the July 2025 issue of the Environmental Law Reporter, published by the Environmental Law Institute. The article describes the challenges in regulating wild-caught aquarium fish and collecting trade data for the marine aquarium trade. It explores possible solutions through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) by proposing alternate listing criteria under Appendix III to allow non-range states to list species and emphasizing sharing technology among countries to enhance the ability to track trade in marine aquarium fish. Emme was also selected to present this paper at the 21st International Wildlife Law Conference (IWLC), held at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. For more information visit the GW Point Source.
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Parker Jacobs, JD ‘26, had her article, Cleaning our Hands of Climate Washing: Promoting Corporate Responsibility with the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, accepted for publication in Volume 60 of the USF Law Review (forthcoming Fall 2025). Parker's article analyzes how the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) intersects with the Paris Agreement and climate washing litigation. It reviews case studies of climate washing litigation; discusses the CS3D's structure, applicability, and enforcement structure; proposes amendments to the CS3D; and recommends improved business practices to promote corporate responsibility and climate mitigation.
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Afrah Qoqandi, JD '26, had her article, The Case for a Moratorium on Deep-sea Mining: The International Seabed Authority, Indigenous Rights, and Marine Ecosystems in the Eastern Pacific, accepted for publication in Volume 32 of the UC Law Environmental Journal (forthcoming November 2025). The article examines the environmental, social, and cultural risks of deep-sea mining, focusing on its impact on marine ecosystems and Indigenous rights. It proposes a phased global ban on deep-sea mining, emphasizing caution and the need for alternative solutions.
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Byron Sequeira, LL.M. ‘25, has authored several scholarly contributions at the intersection of international environmental law, investment arbitration, and emerging technologies. His article, The ICJ’s Ongoing Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: A Turning Point for International Investment Law?, examines the potential implications of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on climate change for the evolution of investment law. This article’s abstract was also selected for publication by the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) Blog Symposium. Additionally, Byron’s co-authored article, The Ukraine Mineral Resources Agreement – A Strategic Partnership in Progress?, published in The National Interest, explores the proposed Reconstruction Investment Fund, its implications for Ukraine’s economic sovereignty, and the broader geopolitical stakes of natural resource monetization in the context of reconstruction financing.
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Shray Tapiawala, JD ‘25, had his article, Grid Games: Evaluating the Impact of Cryptocurrency Mining on ERCOT’s Demand Response Programs and Consumer Equity in Texas, accepted for publication in the Tulane Environmental Law Journal (forthcoming Spring 2025). The article addresses Texas’s largest cryptocurrency mining company to illustrate how current ERCOT policies permit cryptocurrency miners to exploit grid reliability programs for financial gain. Shray authored another article, Is PJM Adhering to FERC Order Nos. 2023 and 2023-A and Creating an Enabling Environment for Offshore Wind, accepted for publication in the OGEL Energy Law Journal special issue on "Electricity Market Design." The article examines PJM Interconnection’s response to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC's) recent orders aimed at streamlining the interconnection process for renewable energy, particularly offshore wind. The article highlights key flaws in PJM’s process—specifically in system impact studies, delay penalties, and affected systems coordination—arguing that without major reforms, it will continue to delay offshore wind development critical to regional clean energy goals.
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Elif Yaman, LLM ’25, presented her research at the 2025 New Directions in Environmental Law (NDEL) Conference at Yale Law School. Her poster, selected through a competitive process, explored legal challenges in scaling seaweed cultivation on the high seas and called for strengthening the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement to ensure environmental and social safeguards. For more information visit the GW Point Source.
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Tanya Agarwal, LLM ’25, presented her research at the 2025 Decarbonization of Shipping and Alternative Fuels Conference, co-hosted by the NUS Centre for International Law and the University of Copenhagen. Her paper, featured on a panel addrressing alternative fuels, examined the regulatory and environmental challenges of using green hydrogen in maritime shipping. For more information visit the GW Point Source.
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Chloe Wallace, JD ‘26 student, published an article, Challenges and Opportunities to Uphold Food Sovereignty for U.S. Tribes in Washington and Alaska, which discusses the importance of food sovereignty for indigenous communities. It provides two case studies highlighting unique challenges for tribes and evaluates the impact of two recent Supreme Court cases on indigenous food sovereignty. Chloe's article is available on the GW Point Source.
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Save the Date
Waters of the United States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource
Book Talk by Prof. Roy Gardner, Stetson University College of Law
September 18, 2025
Tasher Great Room
4:00 – 5:00 PM, book signing reception to follow
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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 delivered in-person lectures and panel presentations on climate migration governance, strategic climate litigation, climate change and the voiceless, and ESG and climate washing at events hosted at Yale Law School, Tulane Law School, the Environmental Law Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (Washington, DC), Universidad Cientifica del Sur (Lima, Peru), George Washington University, and an online lecture hosted by Jindal Global Law School (India). Dean Abate also was interviewed for an article that was published in April 2025 in District Doctrine magazine, a Colombian publication based in Bogotá, in which he discussed climate migration governance challenges in the United States and Colombia, and at the international level.
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Dean Kristoffer Svendsen’s scholarship includes Offshore Wind: A Comparative Analysis of the United States and Norway, published in the Fordham Environmental Law Review, which offers an in-depth legal and policy comparison of offshore wind development in two leading nations. He has also co-authored a series of timely articles in The National Interest examining the global energy landscape, including: The Ukraine Mineral Resources Agreement – A Strategic Partnership in Progress?, Harnessing Nature’s Breath: The (Offshore) Wind Industry That Drives Green Power Forward, and Recalibrating Exports: Russia’s Strategic Moves in the Fertilizer Market. These works reflect his deep engagement with sustainability, geopolitics, and resource strategy.
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Professor Robert Glicksman continues to contribute significantly to both legal scholarship and public discourse. His recently published, completely new edition of Public Natural Resources Law, a comprehensive four-volume treatise by Thomson Reuters, represents a major update in the field. Glicksman’s scholarly influence is further demonstrated by the citation of his work in Ambler v. Flathead Conservation Dist. (2025), highlighting the authoritative role his treatise plays in shaping legal arguments and decisions. Beyond his publications, Glicksman has been active in shaping policy, including submitting comments on the Review Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act of 2025 to the D.C. Council. His expertise has also garnered widespread media attention, with quotes in notable outlets such as the Arizona Republic, Law360, and ManufacturingDive. Glicksman’s insight into critical environmental issues, from the Antiquities Act to PFAS regulation, continues to shape conversations in both the media and legal spheres.
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Professor Emily Hammond continues to shape discourse at the intersection of administrative and environmental law through impactful scholarship, community engagement, and professional service. In 2025, Professor Hammond published two significant articles: Agency Amici in the UC Davis Law Review, which explores the role of agency participation in judicial review, and The Community Veto and the Clean Energy Transition in the Ohio State Law Journal, which examines local resistance to energy infrastructure and its implications for decarbonization efforts. They shared their expertise as a panelist at the NRC Regulatory Information Conference, discussing the legal impacts of the ADVANCE Act and recent Supreme Court decisions, and at a symposium hosted by Lewis & Clark Law School on the evolving influence of the Court on environmental law. They also continue to support judicial education as a member of the Energy Advisory Curriculum Committee for the Climate Judiciary Project of the Environmental Law Institute.
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Professor LeRoy Paddock continues to make valuable contributions to the intersection of environmental law and emerging technologies. He recently moderated a panel on AI and Environmental Enforcement at Georgetown Law School, facilitating a discussion on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in regulatory frameworks. In addition to his involvement in academic events, Paddock is also making strides in publishing scholarly work. His forthcoming article, Beyond Extended Producer Responsibility, co-authored with C. Diedrich and S. Dibble, will be published in the European Journal of Consumer Law in Spring 2025. Furthermore, Paddock is set to contribute a chapter on compliance and enforcement to the Handbook of Comparative Environmental Law, edited by T. Yang, A. Telesetsky, and S. Phillips, to be published by Edward Elgar Press in 2025. His academic work reflects his ongoing dedication to advancing environmental law in both theory and practice.
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Professor Caroline Cecot has been actively contributing to discussions at the intersection of law, policy, and regulation through her recent participation in three prominent events. On February 13, she joined the Energy Law Currents symposium at Texas A&M University School of Law, where she took part in a panel titled “Energy and Administrative Law After Loper Bright,” offering insights into the evolving legal landscape following this significant case. On February 21, she was a featured speaker in the Guardrails of Governance Legal and Administrative Resilience in Trump 2.0 webinar, hosted by The George Washington University Environmental and Energy Management Institute, where she engaged in dialogue with esteemed colleagues Robert Glicksman, Richard Pierce, and Alan Morrison. Most recently, as President of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis, Professor Cecot presided over the Society’s Annual Meeting held on March 13–14. There, she also organized and participated in a roundtable titled “Benefit-Cost Analysis and the Courts,” alongside Elissa Gentry (Florida State University) and Jack Lienke (University of Connecticut), further cementing her leadership in the field of regulatory and economic analysis.
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Professor Giovanna Gismondi played a leading role in advancing discussions at the intersection of environmental law, human rights and investment arbitration as the moderator of the panel, “Dispute Resolution in Investment Arbitration with Human Rights and Environmental Dimensions: What Have We Learned from Recent Case Law?” Held on March 20, 2025, as part of the 2025 J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium, the event was organized by GW Law’s Environmental and Energy Law Program. Under Professor Gismondi’s guidance, the panel featured leading experts who examined recent developments in international dispute resolution and their implications for sustainability and global justice.
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