Most recent 10 articles: Legal Planet
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An Ethical Framework for Climate Intervention Research - Legal Planet (Oct 25, 2024) |
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Oct 25, 2024 · In this context a new initiative by the AGU to promote an ethical framework for climate intervention research is significant. Over the past two years the AGU has facilitated discussion on this topic amongst stakeholders around the world, an advisory board, and an invited group of contributing authors. [Full disclosure: I served as part of that last group]. The AGU’s aim was to establish a broadly shared platform of principles for responsible and ethical research that could be applied by researchers, funders and policy-makers.
The framework published this week sets out five principles. First, responsible research, addressing risks as well as potential benefits, and ... Read more ...
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The Yankees Already Beat the Dodgers at One Thing - Legal Planet (Oct 25, 2024) |
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Oct 25, 2024 · The Dodgers and the Yankees in the World Series. That’s the zenith of baseball rivalries and I’m rooting for the home team. Which is why I hate to say it, but the Yankees have already beaten the boys in blue at one thing: their climate commitment.
As of this season, the Yankees dropped their most visible Big Oil sponsor from the stadium scoreboard - a billboard for Hess Oil. Meanwhile, the Dodgers keep on shilling for 76 gas by putting that big orange ball logo on the scoreboards, bobbleheads, souvenir towels, and other merch. East Coast 1: West Coast: 0.
Here’s the big picture: Our survey of sponsorships across the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, and WNBA revealed more than 60 ... Read more ...
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Six Sleeper Proposals in Project 2025 - Legal Planet (Oct 24, 2024) |
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Oct 24, 2024 · The Project 2025 report is 920 pages long, but only a few portions have gotten much public attention. The report’s significance is precisely that it goes beyond a few headline proposals to set a comprehensive agenda for a second Trump Administration. There are dozens of significant proposals relating to energy and the environment. Although I can’t talk about all of them here, I want to flag a few of these sleeper provisions.
But does Project 2025 even matter, you might ask? It’s true that Trump disavowed the report. Yet it comes with the imprimatur of a host of conservative organizations and involves many people with ties to Trump. It also echoes Trump’s priorities.
With ... Read more ...
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New Environmental Laws Focus on Public Health - Legal Planet (Oct 23, 2024) |
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Oct 23, 2024 · The California State Legislature is now finally in its off-season. Governor Newsom had until Monday, September 30th to sign or veto bills that the legislature passed and sent to his desk. In a final tally of bills, according to CalMatters, Governor Newsom vetoed approximately 18% of the nearly 1,000 bills that landed on his desk in the final days of session, or close to 1 in 5 bills. Taking into consideration all the bills presented throughout the year, the overall veto rate for the 2024 session was 16% out of 1,200 total bills per CalMatters. The 2024 veto rate is on par with previous years.
The period after the signing deadline was unusual with the Governor calling a special ... Read more ...
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Governors Present Bold Vision for Investing in a New Forest Economy - Legal Planet (Oct 22, 2024) |
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Oct 22, 2024 · The world has continued to watch as fires burn – yet again – across much of the Amazon basin. With historic droughts and ongoing lack of resources to tackle these fires and their underlying causes, they have ravaged millions of hectares of forests, communities, and wildlife habitat in Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, and beyond. These fires, often deliberately set as part of land clearing efforts for cattle or agriculture, are becoming even more intense in the face of the climate crisis and exposing millions to dangerous air pollution. Increasing fire, drought, and deforestation continue to push the region closer to a “tipping point where it can no longer survive as a rainforest.” The ... Read more ...
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The Dangerous Embrace of Convenient Narratives Over Inconvenient Truths - Legal Planet (Oct 22, 2024) |
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Oct 22, 2024 · Conservative critics and others have argued for years that theories popular in universities such as critical legal theory undermine the idea of truth in favor of storytelling. Ironically, it has turned out that the problem is far greater on the Right than the Left. This is not only destructive to democracy. It also encourages conspiracy theories and hate speech, like a recent spate of antisemitic attacks on officials at FEMA.
The problem on the Right has long been obvious. Remember Kellyanne Conway’s “alternative facts”? It has never been clearer than in a recent statement by J.D. Vance. On learning that there was no factual basis for his story about Haitian ... Read more ...
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Project 2025 Envisions Eliminating Civil Service Protection for Thousands - Legal Planet (Oct 21, 2024) |
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Oct 21, 2024 · UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy, & Environment (CLEE) is sponsoring a series of papers evaluating aspects of Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation publication, entitled “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise,” which has received attention in the Presidential election campaign.
CLEE published excerpts from the 922 page Project 2025 document related to climate change and environment, here.
The first paper in our Monograph series focuses on aspects of Project 2025 is: “Project 2025 Envisions Eliminating Civil Service Protections for Thousands of Highly Experienced and Knowledgeable Career Civil Servants,” available here.
Robert Uram, the Paper’s ... Read more ...
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Still Crazy After All These Years - Legal Planet (Oct 21, 2024) |
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Oct 21, 2024 · Was a powerful political conspiracy behind Hurricane Helene? You might think that no one would believe anything that crazy. You would be wrong. This post by a conspiracist about Hurricane Helene got 11 million views: “Don’t worry guys, weather modification isn’t real! It’s just a coincidence that Hurricane Helene is one of the most devastating ‘inland damage storms’ in history and that hundreds of pro-Trump counties are being massively impacted during the most important election of our lifetimes.” Or as a video reposted by former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn said ““Hurricane Helene was an ATTACK caused by Weather Manipulation.”
Then ... Read more ...
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We Need a Circular Economy for EV Batteries - Legal Planet (Oct 21, 2024) |
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Oct 21, 2024 · California continues to make significant headway toward its target to eliminate in-state sales of new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035. About one in five new cars sold in California are battery-powered. And it’s not just California: Battery-powered car sales are up globally, with projections showing 17 million will be sold worldwide in 2024.
As EVs proliferate, so will demand for the critical minerals that power their batteries. But mining for those elements can have serious health and environmental consequences for nearby communities. And ever-increasing numbers of battery-powered cars on the road will also mean a growing number of waste batteries. EV batteries ... Read more ...
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Grid Experts Weigh in on EPA’s Power Plant Emissions Rule - Legal Planet (Oct 18, 2024) |
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Oct 18, 2024 · Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized emissions standards for greenhouse gases from power plants under Clean Air Act, Section 111(d). The rule sets pollution limits for existing coal plants and some new gas plants based on carbon capture and sequestration. In West Virginia v. EPA, a spate of states and industry parties have challenged these new standards.
One argument made by petitioners involves reliability of the nation’s power grid. Now, leading grid experts are weighing in.
Yesterday, Denise Grab, Project Director for the new Emmett Clean Energy Law & Leadership project along with Emmett Institute Fellow Ruthie Lazenby submitted an ... Read more ...
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