Recent News
Program Submits Comments During Phase 1 of the World Bank Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies Update Process
In October 2012, the World Bank began the process of reviewing and updating its set of Environmental and Social safeguard policies. During Phase 1 of the review and update, the World Bank has engaged in numerous consultations (see below for information about David Hunter and Erika Lennon participating in the Washington, D.C. consultation last Fall) and accepted written submissions. Phase 1 ended shortly after the World Bank Spring Meetings (see below for details about the participation of PICEL faculty, staff, and students), on April 30, 2013. In addition to participating in the first Washington, DC consultation, the Spring Meetings, and other meetings regarding the safeguard policies review, David Hunter and Erika Lennon submitted written comments to the World Bank. Our comments focused on the need for the safeguard policies to protect affected communities and the environment. The safeguard policies need to help ensure that affected communities have a voice in the implementation and design of development projects. Thus, our comments stressed there need for there being mandatory minimum safeguards that must be met to help guarantee that World Bank projects do not place the burden of risk on the communities its projects are designed to help. At a minimum the updated safeguard policies should not dilute its current standards, should maintain standards that are clear, mandatory, and enforceable, and these minimums should be based on international law and norms. Additionally, the Bank should improve its framework where it is currently lacking. The safeguards review is ongoing and is expected to continue for the next two years and have at least two more rounds of consultations. PICEL plans to stay engaged in the process to ensure that the World Bank adopts mandatory, robust safeguards to protect communities and the environment.
Read our comments!
Experts Discuss the Human Rights Implications of Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Decision
On April 23, the WCL Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law and the Program on International & Comparative Environmental Law, and the Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute hosted a 1-hour webinar on the Supreme Court's recent decision in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum. Experts including Paul Hoffman (lead counsel for the plaintiffs), Katie Redford (Co-Founder & U.S. Office Director of EarthRights International and Adjunct Professor), and Professor Diane Orentlicher (American University Washington College of Law) talked about this decision and its implications for the future of Alien Tort Statute in a discussion moderated by Hadar Harris (Executive Director, Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law). The Panelists agreed that while the decision in Kiobel is bad and setback the gains of the past decades in regards to this litigation, they also agreed that it was not the death of the Alien Tort Statute. Panelists noted the ambiguity of the Court's decision and foresee considerable amounts of litigation in the coming years to clarify the decision. So, while the Kiobel decision does set-back the ability to use the ATS to hold people and corporations accountable for human rights and environmental abuses, it does not end it, and the litigation will continue.
Listen to the Discussion!
WCL Celebrates Earth Day with Second Car-Free Day 
To celebrate Earth Day (April 22), the Environmental Law Society arranged for WCL to have its second car-free day! The Environmental Law Society enticed people to go car-free by using public transportation, walking, or biking to get to work/school, and rewarded those who did by giving them baked goods and coffee. Encouraging people to go car-free helps each individual reduce his or her carbon footprint as a small step to combat climate change. Over 50 people participated in car-free day (more statistics to come). This event went along with a series of events across the American University campus to celebrate April as Earth Month. Earlier in the month, members of the WCL community participated in Campus Beautification Day and helped clean up the outdoor area in front of the law school. Additionally, celebrating Earth Day as car-free day is one of the many events that the Environmental Law Society hosts and promotes to help protect the environment in addition to learning about the laws that can be used.
At right, ELS president Chelsea Tu ('13) and treasurer Tom Richards ('14) have Veronica Kennedy ('14) record how she got to WCL without a car, today on her bike, and how far she traveled to get to school. (Photo Credit: Chelsea Tu)
Members of the AUWCL Community Participate in the World Bank Spring Meetings 
David Hunter and Erika Lennon led a team of students at the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings held in Washington, DC from April 17 to April 20. Held each year, the Spring Meetings give members of civil society organizations, governments, and the public from around the world an opportunity to interact with World Bank staff and participate in a policy forum. Throughout the policy forum, we went to panel discussions and interactive meetings. This year, many sessions focused on the World Bank's environmental and social 
safeguard policies, which are currently being reviewed and updated. Professor David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon have spent the semester working with a small team of students including Neil Saunders, Robert Maes, Elana Katz-Mink, and Young Hee Lee, conducting research related to the safeguards review. The Environmental and Social Safeguards help to ensure that communities and the environment are not hurt by the development projects funded by the World Bank. The students accompanied Professor Hunter and Erika to the spring meetings where they participated in a variety of discussions and interactive sessions including ones on comparing safeguards, the accountability mechanisms, climate change, and land tenure, amongst others. For example, Professor David Hunter, Erika Lennon, and alumna Andrea Martinez all attended a lunch with the Inspection Panel to discuss their important work in ensuring accountability and how the Panel's work relates to the safeguard policies. Additionally, Erika Lennon and Neil Saunders attended a Saturday report-back and feedback session on the ongoing safeguards review and update. During this session, members of the World Bank safeguards team presented their findings from the consultations they have been hosting (including one that Erika and Professor Hunter participated in) and members of civil society gave feedback about the policies and the process. PICEL will 
continue to engage in the safeguards review and update by submitting written comments and attending future consultations.
Along with AKSI-Indonesia, World Resources Institute, Bank Information Center, and Ulu Foundation, we co-sponsored a panel on "Drawing Lessons from the Safeguard Standards of other Multilateral Development Banks," which Professor David Hunter moderated. The panel featured presenters from the International Finance Corporation (the private sector lending arm of the World Bank), the Asian Development Bank, World Resources Institute, and from the World Bank Legal Department , which was represented by Adjunct Professor Charles DiLeva. The panelists discussed the safeguards at the IFC, ADB, and World Bank, and their implementation.
American University Washington College of Law was well represented at the Spring Meetings beyond the participation of the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Professor Juan Mendez participated on a panel on preventing mass atrocities through development policies. Additionally, former Professor Danny Bradlow was a panelist discussing IMF reform. Students in Professor Anna Gelpern's International Finance and Financial Institutions courses also participated in the Spring Meetings and attended a variety of sessions.
Bill Snape Comments on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Three Years Later and the Overall
Professor Bill Snape, also Senior Counsel at Center for Biological Diversity, discusses the long-term and ongoing consequences of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as well as how the spill relates to the fossil fuel industry as a whole. He points out that the Gulf environment is still trying to recover and that there are ongoing impacts related to the spilling of the oil itself and related to the use of chemical dispersants. The interview, which was part of Platts Energy Week TV, then went on to discuss the fossil fuel industry as a whole. Bill emphasized that when engaging in large fossil fuel extraction, including drilling for oil or fracking for natural gas, the country needs to be very careful because the potential negative effect are enormous. He also emphasized the fact that it is impossible to drill safely in the Arctic, which has a very delicate ecosystem. Additionally, Bill pointed out that public lands would be better used for eco-tourism and renewables than for fossil fuel extraction. As Senior Counsel for Center for Biological Diversity, Bill is often engaged in litigation, which he thinks is an important tool to protect the environment. Though, he did point out that all litigation is different and is often case specific focusing on the habitat at risk and the scale of the proposed project. The Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf emphasized the danger of fossil fuel extraction and supports Bill's proposition here that we need to slow down because the fossil fuel extraction is moving so quickly that the government and companies are underestimating its injurious effects and its affect on climate change. One way to address these problems is by looking at subsidies and reducing the fossil fuel subsidies given so as to help level the playing field for renewables. Finally, Bill reiterated what he's been saying for awhile (see stories below), that approving the Keystone XL pipeline is the wrong thing to do and that there is no demonstrated need for why the pipeline is necessary.
Watch Bill's interview!
Staff, Faculty, Students, and Alumni Attend the Goldman Prize Award Ceremony in DC
On Wednesday, April 17, members of the WCL environmental law community joined the greater environmental community at the Goldman Environmental Prize Ceremony, which was held that evening in Wash
ington, DC (following one earlier in the week in San Francisco). The Goldman Prize is given annually to honor grassroots environmentalists from around the world. The ceremony in DC featured videos about the inspiring work of the six recipients and speeches from each. Additionally, attendees were able to meet the current recipients, past recipients, and other members of the environmental law community at a reception immediately following the presentation. Professors David Hunter and Bill Snape attended the awards ceremony along with Program Coordinator Erika Lennon ('08), alumna Yulia Genin ('12), Ashley Gardana ('12), and Laura Peterson ('11), and current LL.M. students Kim Gros and Joana Abrego.
Tom Richards is First Recipient of the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program Summer Internship
The Sierra Club and the American University Washington College of Law are pleased to launch the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program Summer Internship. Under this partnership, WCL environmental law students will have the opportunity to intern with the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program. Tom Richards (’14) is the first recipient of the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program Summer Internship. Tom is a rising 3L and the current Treasurer of the Environmental Law Society. During his time at WCL, Tom has interned at the Center for International Environmental Law and participated in the 2012 World Bank Spring Meetings with the Environmental Law Program.
Professor Bill Snape's Externship Class Attends Argument at the 
D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
On Monday, April 8, members of Professor Bill Snape's Environmental Advocacy Externship seminar attended an oral argument before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case, which is between the Center for Biological Diversity and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, focused on biomass and the Clean Air Act. The issues in the case focused on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule exempting stationary sources of biogenic carbon dioxide pollution from the constructing and operating permit requirements of the Clean Air Act. The suit questions EPA's authority to authorize this exemption.
Standing outside the courthouse, from left to right: Maggie Coulter, Kim Gros, Joana Abrego, Phattharaporn Phetphong, Chelsea Tu, Stacey Garfinkle, Professor Bill Snape, Caitlin Weinstock, Elizabeth Corey, and Eleonore Belemlilga.
Photo credit: Caitlin Weinstock
Bill Snape Chimes in on Debate Over Whether the Keystone XL Pipeline Is Too Risky
On April 8, the National Journal's Energy Experts Blog opened a debate on "Is the Keystone XL Pipeline Too Risky?" to which Professor Bill Snape replied with an emphatic yes in "All Risks, No Benefit." For months, whether the State Department should approve the Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring dirty tarsands oil from Alberta, Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast has been a topic of discussion. The debate has included an increase in environmental activism in which hundreds of people have risked arrest to demonstrate their desire for the Obama administration to reject the pipeline. Meanwhile, the proponents of the pipeline have argued that building the pipeline will create jobs and help decrease U.S. meet its oil needs. (More information about various debates and protests related to the Keystone XL pipeline can be seen below.) In this blog, the questions posed center on weighing the costs and benefits of the pipeline. In his entry, Professor Bill Snape argues that the costs of the pipeline are far too high and the benefits far too few. As he sums up, "So just [so] we have this all straight: 1) We are being told we need the Keystone dirty tarsands pipeline when we don’t; 2) The State Department has admitted the pipeline will spill and harm the American people; 3) Every climate expert in the world believes that the tarsands bitumen of the Keystone pipeline will gravely exacerbate global warming; and 4) When there is an Keystone oil spill, the fossil fuel industries won’t pay to clean it up (think higher taxes here, folks); and 5) There are far more jobs available in renewable energy technologies than the temporary Keystone XL pipeline."
Read Bill's entire post!
Environmental Law Students and Faculty Clean Up Rock Cree
k Park
On Saturday, April 6, the Rock Creek Conservancy held the 5th Annual Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup. As part of the cleanup, Rock Creek Conservancy mobilized volunteers, including members of the Environmental Law Society and Environmental Law Professors at WCL, to pick up trash at 50+ locations along the full 33-mile length of Rock Creek to achieve a total stream cleanup of Rock Creek and its tributaries and the parks connected to Rock Creek. The WCL students awoke bright and early to help keep Rock Creek clean and beautiful.
At right, a photo of much of the trash collected during WCL's contribution to the clean-up. (Photo Credit: Chelsea Tu)
Sustainable Development Law & Policy Publication Hosts Annual Symposium -Update
On March 27, the Sustainable Development Law & Policy Publication hosted its Annual Symposium! This year's topic was Global Perspectives on Environmental Justice. Organized by Chelsea Tu ('13) and Cynthia Wildfire ('13), the symposium featured an opening discussion of the history of the environmental justice movement, three panels, and a lunchtime keynote on climate change and environmental justice. Mike Ewall of the Energy Justice Network gave the opening 
discussion and outlined the history of the environmental justice movement. Professor Bill Eubanks (Meyer, Glitzenstein & Crystal) moderated the first panel of the day featured a discussion of Food and Environmental Justice, including access to good food and food deserts, how subsidies affect sustainable growing, and sustainable and urban farming. Panelists included Helen Dombalis (National Farm to School Network), Elise Golan (U.S. Department of Agriculture), and Sophie Milam (Feeding America). Then, Professor Bill Snape introduced Professor Alice Kaswan from the University of San Francisco School of Law who delievered her keynote address on the "Seven Principles of Equitable Climate Adaptation." The first panel of the afternoon, moderated by Mark Borak (SDLP Editor in Chief, '13), featured authors discussing the articles they wrote in the most recent issue of SDLP on Environmental Justice and Equity. Panelists included Elana Katz-Mink ('14) discussing her feature on water, Tendai Zvobgo (ILSP LL.M. '13) discussing her article on free, prior, and informed consent and peoples in Nigeria, and Mike Ewell. The symposium
concluded with a panel discussing land rights and environmental justice. Professor Ezra Rosser moderated this panel on environmental justice issues related to indigenous peoples and the land, including displacement, restrictions on use of resources, and how these populations interact with governments and corporations. Topics included discussion of both domestic and international issues including Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, self-identifying, and REDD+. Panelists included Marissa Vahlsing (Earthrights International), Derrick Beetso (National Congress of American Indians), Gretchen Gordon and Karla General (Indian Law Resource Center), James Grijalva (University of North Dakota School of Law), and Danny Gogal (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Justice).
Read the current issue of SDLP. Professor Kaswan's Keynote Address was recorded as an episode of our Hot Air Show Podcast series. Listen to the episode to hear her Seven Principles of Equitable Climate Adaptation!
WCL Student, Elana Katz-Mink, Writes Guest Post on International Water Law Project Blog
Elana Katz-Mink ('14) explored the links between water and environmental security and national security in her post, "Water Security, National Security, and Israel's Separation Wall: The Case of Battir." In her post, Elana discusses Israel's proposal to build a separation wall on the edge of Battir, a Palestinian village. She explores the impacts that this wall may have on the water supply to villages on both sides of the wall and how the wall may actually undermine national security, which it is designed to protect, because it will harm the fresh water supplies. In her blog, Elana notes the importance and need to consider environmental impacts, including long-term effects, of building the wall. This blog was a guest post on the International Water Law Project Blog, which was created by Gabriel Eckstein ('97, '95) who received his JD and his LL.M from American University Washington College of Law.
Read Elana's Blog Post.
Bill Snape on President Obama's Nominees for Energy Secretary and EPA Administrator
President Obama, on Monday, March 4, announced his nominees for two of key positions in the administration, Energy Secretary and EPA Administrator. He nominated Professor Ernest Moniz from MIT to head the Department of Energy and Gina McCarthy, current Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at the Environmental Protection Agency, to be the new EPA Administrator. Professor Bill Snape released a statement from the Center for Biological Diversity about the nominations. He was also quoted in the Huffington Post about his concerns about Moniz being named to lead the Energy Department.
You can listen to Gina McCarthy in her appearance on our "The Hot Air Show" podcast from August 2011. She appeared on Episode 7 discussing the Clean Air Act at climate change at the EPA, including the EPA's major regulatory efforts in regards to clean air. Read about the episode and Gina's appearance.
Bill Snape Comments on State Department's New Draft SEIS for Keystone XL Pipeline
On Friday, March 1, the U.S. Department of State released its Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline (see the NY Times story). The Draft SEIS declared that the pipeline will not significantly increase the rate of development of the oil sands and worsen climate change. Bill Snape, along with other environmentalists, made several statements about the Draft SEIS. On a radio program, Bill noted that James Hansen, a scientist, "has said that if this pipeline is approved and this oil is burned, it's game over for fighting climate change. That's the world's leading climate expert saying that we cannot make this decision." Hear Bill on the program. Bill is also quoted in the press release from the Center for Biological Diversity, where he is Senior Counsel. The release of the draft SEIS seems to clear the way for the pipeline to go forward despite protests from the environmental law community (see below for information about the February 2013 climate rally).
Bill Snape Contributes to the discussion "What Does the Keystone XL Pipeline Represent"
On Monday, February 25 the National Journal's Experts and Energy Blog opened the discussion on ""What Does the Keystone XL Pipeline Represent?". The State Department and President Obama will likely make a decision about whether to approve this controversial pipeline later in 2013. As the country watches and waits for that decision much debate continues about whether the U.S. should import extremely dirty oil from the Canadian tar sands. The Experts and Energy blog opens the discussion of Keystone XL by asking its experts what the pipeline means for both the U.S. economy and efforts to curb climate change? As well as, how this decision may affect America's relations with Canada, where the pipeline originates? Lastly, the blog asks what the battle over this one pipeline mean for future efforts to build energy infrastructure? Bill Snape participated in this debate and in his response tells President Obama to say "NO" to the pipeline. Bill begins by pointing out that the tar sands oil is one of the dirtiest fossil fuels in the world and rather than importing it, the U.S. needs to follow the science and decrease dependence on fossil fuels to help curb climate change. Bill argues that the Keystone debate is not about energy independence or creating jobs (which the U.S. could do by investing in developing cleaner technologies), but rather about energy companies wanting to increase their profits at the expense of the world. He concludes by urging President Obama to say no to the Keystone XL pipeline because while saying no will not mean we win the climate change battle immediately, saying yes will be a devastating blow in the fight.
Read Bill's Response "A Line in the (Very Dirty Tar) Sand”. Read all the comments on the blog.
Bill Snape Attends Workshop on Chesapeake Bay Planning
On February 25 and 26, the Chesapeake Bay Program's Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee held a workshop on "Using Multiple Management Models (M3.2) in the Chesapeake Bay." Bill Snape spoke at this workshop and discussed the legal aspects related to managing and cleaning-up the ecosystem that is the Chesapeake Bay.
Read more about this workshop and see the agenda.
Environmental Law Society Hosts an Environmental Law Career Panel 
Four American University Washington College of Law alumni and a representative from the Environmental Protection Agency discussed careers in environmental law at a career panel hosted by the Environmental Law Society. Professor Bill Snape moderated this important panel advising students about how to start a career in environmental law. Panelists who discussed their work and how they got there included: Melissa Blue Sky ('11), Staff Attorney, Center for International Environmental Law; Addie Haughey ('10), Government Relations Manager, The Ocean Conservancy; Winfield Wilson ('11), Trial Attorney, Mine Health and Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; Mike Walker, Law Clerk Program Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Asha Venkataraman ('09), Associate, VanNess Feldman, LLP. Each panelist discussed the varied ways that they got to their current job and gave advice to WCL students about how to get to the jobs they want.
WCL Team Competes in the Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition
From February 21 to 23, Elizabeth Corey and Anna Christensen will represent American University Washington College of Law and compete with approximately 70 other schools at Pace University's National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition. The team is coached by Professor Amanda Leiter.
Environmental Law Program Faculty and Students Participate in Climate Forward Rally
On Sunday, February 17, approximately 40,000 people gathered on the National Mall for the Climate Forward Rally. Organized by 350.org, Sierra Club, the Hip Hop Caucus, and a multitude of other environmental organizations, the Climate Forward Rally urged President Obama to take action now to address climate change and introduce policies to mitigate, including to reject the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. This rally followed less than a week after President Obama's State of the Union address in which he noted that climate change was a threat that needed to be addressed. Thus, the rally centered on urging the President to take action and not approve projects that will continue to exacerbate climate change.
Pictures to come!
Experts Come to WCL to Discuss Washington, D.C.'s Sustainability Issues and Initiatives 
On Thursday, February 14, the Environmental Law Society and Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law hosted "State of Environment in Our Nation's Capital: Sustainability Issues and Initiatives in Washington, DC." This event featured a keynote address and panel discussion on sustainability issues and initiatives in DC. Approximately 50 people, including alumni, WCL students, and members of the environmental law community came to participate in this informative discussion. The event, moderated by Professor Amanda Leiter, opened with a keynote address from DC City Councilwoman Mary Cheh who is the Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Transportation, and Public Works. 
Councilwoman Cheh discussed the progress that DC is making towards becoming a more sustainable, healthy, livable city, including bike share, green building, the plastic bag tax, using more solar energy, green roofs, and improving public transportation, amongst others. She noted that in some instances is to require a shift to clean energy, as the District did with solar energy, rather than merely suggesting it. Additionally, she touched on the Sustainable DC Act, which Mayor Gray signed into law in January 2013. Councilwoman Cheh focused on the relationship between environment and health as well by emphasizing the need for schools to not only have physical education, but also to serve healthy breakfast and lunches so that kids were getting healthy food at school and being taught about sustainability. Councilwoman Cheh's remarks were followed by a panel discussion featuring representatives from DC government, non-governmental organizations, and universities. First, Brendan Shane of the DC Department of the Environment provided more information about what DC was doing and the soon to be released Sustainability Plan for the district. He recognized the importance of different sectors working together with the District to improve sustainability, for example the 
initiatives of American University's Office of Sustainability. Additionally, Shane pointed out that sustainability initiatives were having a positive effect including the tax on plastic bags which has led to a 60% decrease in plastic bag use. Following Brendan Shane, two NGO representatives, Chris Weiss (Executive Director of the DC Environment Network) and Gary Belan (Director of Clean Water Programs at American Rivers) discussed what more the nation's capital could do to improve sustainability. While both recognized the efforts being made, they also called on the District to be an example for the nation and take the lead on becoming the greenest city in the country. Belan highlighted the need for effective stormwater policies to make the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers fishable and swimmable. Lastly, Josh 
Lasky (Department of Sustainability at University of the District of Columbia) discussed the sustainability plans being implemented at UDC and other DC universities as well as the initiative between the city and the universities in the District to make the campuses sustainable. Josh and representatives from the AU Office of Sustainability noted that they are striving to make DC the greenest college town in the nation. The discussion covered a wide-breadth of issues and highlighted the many steps DC is taking, however, there is more to do (as several panelists noted) before DC will be one of the greenest city in the nation.
See Photos from the event. Follow us on Twitter to read tweets from this events and future events that will be live tweeted.
Talk Radio News Interviews David Hunter About President Obama's State of the Union Address
President Barack Obama delivered the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday, February 12 and spent a considerable amount of time discussing climate change. Three days later, Talk Radio News interviewed Professor David Hunter about President Obama's statements related to climate change. In "SOTU Provides Few Clues to U.S. Climate Strategy," Hunter discussed the potential for domestic climate change legislation and the potential for the U.S. having greater engagement in the international negotiations. However, they also discussed that the rhetoric of the State of the Union does not necessarily mean that action is eminent.
Read the interview here.
WCL Hosts North America Regional of the Stetson International Environmental Law Moot Court 
Competition
From Friday, February 8 to Sunday, February 10 WCL was filled with competitors, coaches, and "judges" all participating in the North America Regional of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition. The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law proudly hosted the regional, which welcomed 16 teams from across the United States and the Caribbean. This year's competition was co-sponsored by the ABA Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER), who generously supported the competition and helped us recruit judges. The ABA Section on International Law's International Environmental Law Committee also helped recruit "judges" for this year's regional. The weekend was not all work. On Saturday, we hosted a welcome reception (seen below) during which teams were able to relax and meet one another, international 
environmental lawyers and advocates, and WCL alumni. Additionally, during the reception, two students won a book on climate change adaptation provided by ABA SEER. Throughout the weekend, teams adeptly presented their "case" related to transboundary haze pollution and an endangered (fictional) orangutan. The regional consisted of four rounds. On Friday and Saturday, we held a preliminary round during which each team argued three times. 
That was followed on Sunday by the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and the finals to determine which teams would represent the North America Region in the International Finals, which will be held in March at the Stetson University School of Law. To help determine the winners we had leading international environmental lawyers from government (including the Department of State, Department of Justice, US Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, Department of Labor, Food & Drug Administration, the Treasury Department, and the US Congress, amongst others), international organizations (including the Organization of American States), law firms 
(including VanNess Feldman and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, amongst others), trade associations (including the American Coatings Association, the Associated General Contractors of America), and non-governmental organizations (including the Center for International Environmental Law, Center for Biological Diversity, Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, Ocean Conservancy, Due Process of Law Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, Association of Clean Water Administrators, and Environmental Law Institute). The judges for the final round (seen above with the two teams in the finals) were Tess Bridgeman (Attor
ney-Advisor, Office of the Legal Advisor of the U.S. Department of State), Carroll Muffett (President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law), and Durwood Zaelke (President of the Institute of Governance and Sustainable Development). Other lawyers who served as judges for the moot court competition included: Joana Abrego, Niranjali Amerasinghe, Abbey Baker ('11), Lauren Bartlett ('07), Priscila Rodriguez Bribiesca, Carl Bruch, Susana 
Castiglione ('97), Alicia Cate, Carrie Ciliberto, Elizabeth Dawson, Andrew J. Doyle, Laura Drummond ('11), Alexandra Dunn, Renée-Lauren Ellis, Carla García Zendejas ('97), Ashley Gardana ('12), Yulia Genin ('12), Alejandra Goyenechea ('01), Brett Grosko, Addie Haughey ('10), Michael Heintz, Kristen Hite, Adriana
Jáuregui, Alyssa Johl, Thomas Kane, Edward Kulschinsky, Young Hee Lee, Amanda Leiter, Douglas Earl McLaren, Brittany Meyer Driscoll ('09), Melanie Nakagawa ('05), Laura Peterson ('11), Whitney Phend ('08), Phattharaporn Phetphong, Melanija Radnovic ('08), Anet Rivera, Yuri Romaña, Cari Shiffman ('07), Bill Snape, Daniel Squire, Michael Stone ('92, '12), Asha Venkataraman ('09), Alexandra Whittaker, Jennifer Wills, Winfield Wilson ('11), and Elizabeth Zgoda ('10). The Finals saw Team 1306 prevail over Team 1327. Then the competition concluded with an Awards Ceremony during which one team won Best Memorial (Team 1304) and individuals won awards for Best Oralist in both the preliminary rounds (Craig Radoci) and in the finals (Austin Ward).
See Photos from the North America Regional here, on Flickr, and on Tumblr.
Bill Snape Urges Regulation of Lead Ammunition in Another Side to the Gun Control Debate
Practitioner-in-Residence Bill Snape, who is also Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, is urging the end to the use of lead bullets. Lead bullets used for hunting harm animal and human health because the lead contaminates land, water, and the animals who are shot (and whose bodies are not always taken by the hunter). Bill Snape and other environmentalists are urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to get the lead out of bullets, similar to how we now have lead-free paint and unleaded gasoline. Read more about Bill's comments to Fox News here.
Amanda Leiter Participates in a D.C. Bar Panel Discussing Environmental Cases This Supreme Court Term
Professor Amanda Leiter joined other attorneys to discuss the environment and energy cases the Supreme Court has chosen to hear this term. This term the Supreme Court is hearing quite a few environment and energy cases including ones related to clean water and the Fifth Amendment takings clause. However, it has also denied certiorari in Clean Air Act cases. The DC Bar Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section hosted this informative panel on Thursday, January 24, 2013, that was cosponsored by other DC Bar sections as well as the ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Young Lawyers Division, ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Litigation Division, and Federal Bar Association Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In addition to looking at the cases the Supreme Court is hearing and what the outcomes may be, the panel looked at what denials of certiorari in various cases showed about trends in the Court. Read more about the panel.
Bill Snape Discusses the Lack of U.S. Action on Climate Change and the Recent Paper on the Climate Movement by Professor Skocpol on the Progressive Radio Network
Two days after President Obama highlighted the need to address climate change in his second inaugural address, on Wednesday, January 23, Bill Snape joined Theda Skocpol on an episode of "Political Analysis," a Progressive Radio Network show, guest-hosted by Karyn Strickler of Climate Media Challenge. Bill and Professor Skocpol discussed her recent paper, "Naming the Problem: What It Will Take to Counter Extremism and Engage Americans in the Fight Against Global Warming." The two debated the strategies of the mainstream environmental NGOs and whether they have been or can be successful. Additionally, they discussed the lack of climate change legislation and major administration action to address climate change thus far. This discussion focused on who was at fault for the lack of legislation as well as what needs to be done to pass climate legislation in the future. Bill also pointed out that the Obama administration could use the Clean Air Act to make progress on curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. Though both Bill and Professor Skocpol agreed that climate change needs to be addressed, there was substantial debate about the best way to do so.
Listen to Bill on Political Analysis!
Bill Snape Contributes to The Environmental Forum Issue on President Obama and the Environment
As President Obama gets ready to begin a second term, the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) published an issue of The Environmental Forum on President Obama and the environment. Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape contributed to this issue with "A Poor Track Record, but A Chance to Excel." Bill focused on the lack of progress made by President Obama on his first term in addressing climate change and environmental protection. He does though acknowledge that some progress was made, for example with vehicle standards. However, there was also an increase in oil and gas production and decisions made to lease land in the Arctic for offshore drilling, which could be potentially catastrophic for the Arctic environment. He notes that one primary reason for this was that the administration consistently engaged in a cost-benefit analysis without defining an environmental bottom line. However, despite this lack of progress, Bill concludes that President Obama could still have a positive environmental legacy by taking huge strides in his second term to address climate change, both with domestic legislation and by constructively participating in the international negotiations, and to protect public lands, natural resources, and wildlife. Only time will tell.
Read Bill Snape's contribution in this issue of ELI's The Environmental Forum.
2012
Bill Snape Discusses the Lead Bullet Provision in the Sportsman Bill on an Atlanta Radio Show
From the steps of the U.S. Capital on the eve of a Senate vote, Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape, who is also Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, participated in an interview on the radio show "In Tune to Nature," which airs on WRFG-Atlanta. Bill discussed the Sportsman Bill, which is a wide-ranging bill with numerous provisions relating to hunting. While the House of Representatives passed the bill earlier in 2012, the Senate continued to narrow the bill and to debate numerous amendments before voting in late November. However, as Bill pointed out, though the Senate narrowed the bill, it still contained provisions of concern to environmentalists. Of primary concern is the provision that prevents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating lead in bullets. As Bill explained, lead, a neurotoxin, hurts human health in addition to hurting wildlife. For example, eagles and condors, both of which are endangered, suffer and die from consuming lead in the environment. Lead does not decompose and thus remains in the environment for a long time, which can contaminate water supply and other animals that scavenge and eat the carcasses of animals that have lead in them. Additionally, Bill also mentioned that the Sportsman Heritage Act contained a provision that would allow approximately 50 polar bear hides to be exported into the US from Canada, which would violate the Endangered Species Act (ESA) even though the bears were killed prior to the polar bears being listed.
Listen to Bill Snape’s Interview on "In Tune to Nature."*
*Please note, Bill's segment begins at approximately 4:30
Bill Snape Testifies at Public Hearing on CITES
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service held a public meeting on December 13 to discuss the provisional agenda for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16), which will take place in March 2013. Bill Snape, a Practitioner in Residence and Senior Counsel at Center for Biological Diversity, testified at this meeting to discuss increasing protections for polar bears and freshwater turtles. At the meeting, he supported the U.S. proposal for the polar bear being moved to Appendix I because it meets the biological and trade criteria necessary to move a species to Appendix I to further restrict its trade. He noted that while the polar bear population is predominantly threatened by climate change, it is also threatened by unsustainable sport hunting and scientists have indicated that controlling hunting will help reduce the risk of the polar bears becoming extinct. Additionally, Bill supported the listing and uplifting of various species of freshwater turtles. He noted that overharvesting is a major threat to freshwater turtles, which are taken to be sold in food and medical markets in Asia and growing international pet trade. He also noted that the U.S. is now a significant exporter of turtles. Given the threats to polar bears and various species of freshwater turtles, Bill expressed gave support to the U.S. proposals regarding in which CITES appendix to include these turtles and the polar bears.
Watch the hearing here.
David Hunter Blogs About the World Bank's Safeguards Review and Its Risk of Weakening its Environmental and Social Standards
As mentioned below, the World Bank is in the midst of a two-year process to review and update its Environmental and Social Safeguards. Many, including PICEL, are skeptical that this review will result in the weakening of the World Bank's environmental and social safeguards. In its approach paper, the Bank indicates that it is moving away from clear standards that must be followed to deference to its borrowers and their policies. Professor David Hunter, a Center for Progressive Reform member scholar, blogs on this very topic in "World Bank Risks Weakening Environmental and Social Standards." While he acknowledges the Bank's need to update its safeguards, he argues that in doing so the Bank must start by "build[ing] from a floor of clear enforceable standards that protect the rights and interests of affected communities from disproportionate and unacceptable harm."
Read the Blog!
On KPCC, Amanda Leiter Discusses the Supreme Court case LA County Flood Control District v. NRDC
Today, December 4, the Supreme Court is hearing the case LA County Flood Control District v. Natural Resources Defense Counsel. Professor Amanda Leiter, on behalf of herself and other law professors wrote an Amicus Brief in support of Respondents (NRDC) on deference to permit limits. Additionally, today on KPCC (LA's public radio station), Professor Leiter commented on the case and her surprise that the Supreme Court decided to hear it given that the issue focuses on a very narrow permit and the Supreme Court's decision is unlikely to be relevant beyond the parties to this case.
Read about and Listen to Amanda Leiter on KPCC. Read Professor Leiter's Amicus Brief.
Professor David Hunter Discusses COP18 on the Kathleen Dunn Show on Wisconsin Public Radio
As the climate negotiations got underway in Doha, Qatar, Professor David Hunter discussed the history of international environmental law and the climate change negotiations and what's at stake at COP-18 on the "Kathleen Dunn Show" on Wisconsin Public Radio. From November 26 to December 7, the countries of the world will meet in Doha for the Eighteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). On November 27, David Hunter discussed the history of the international climate change negotiations, starting with the Earth Summit in 1992, and what the future may hold. Professor Hunter highlighted the roots of the international climate change negotiations and the foundation based on common but differentiated responsibilities, which is the concept that acknowledges the position of different countries in their ability to address climate change. While discussing the history, he also discussed the Montreal Protocol as a model for international environmental treaties, though pointed out that the frameworks exist, it is the political will that is needed. Additionally, he discussed the Kyoto Protocol, how the U.S.'s inability to ratify it has hindered the negotiations, and the potential for a second commitment period starting in January 2013. Primarily, Professor Hunter focused on the fact that climate change exists, the world is feeling its effects, and action needs to be taken because, as he stated "you can't be too alarmist about climate change." In regards to COP18, he discussed the role of the U.S. and that while the U.S. administration seems to indicate that they are serious about addressing climate change, the lack of federal climate legislation hinders the international negotiations because other countries are wary that the U.S. can take international commitments without legislation. Professor Hunter pointed out the difficulties of getting 180+ countries to agree to a climate change agreement given their differing priorities and starting positions. These differences and countries' own interests have created an "ambition gap," whereby the current emissions reductions pledges under the Copenhagen Accord, even if met, would not be enough to combat the devastating effects of climate change. Looking ahead to COP18 and what may happen in Doha over the next two weeks, he discussed his hope that the parties will create building blocks for future action, including operationalization of the Green Climate Fund, create specific milestones leading to a binding agreement with emission reduction targets in 2015, and that willing countries (namely the European Union, Australia, and the developing countries) will agree to a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Lastly, Professor Hunter noted the positive effects of civil society and people pushing for action on climate change at the international, national, and local level because all efforts and emissions reductions help. In two weeks, we'll see whether the world will take steps towards a future agreement to address climate change.
Listen to David Hunter on WPR's Kathleen Dunn Show!
PICEL Students and Alumni Join "Do the Math" and the Stop 
the Keystone XL Pipeline Rally in D.C.
On Sunday, November 19 WCL students and alumni joined 350.org and other environmental groups as they marched around the White House, urging President Obama to take a stand against climate change and reject the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Thousands of people gathered in D.C. on Sunday to urge the administration to continue to reject the Keystone XL pipeline that would bring oil from the tar sands in Canada to refineries in Texas. Tar sands oil is one of the dirtiest crude oils and the refining of it is energy and water intensive. Ashley Gardana ('12) and Maggie Coulter ('14) both participated in the rally. The rally followed one of Bill McKibbon's, the founder of 350.org, stops on his "Do the Math" tour.
See
more photos from the rally!
At right: People gather on Freedom Plaza to prepare to head to the White House. (Photo Credit: Ashley Gardana)
David Hunter and Erika Lennon Participate in World Bank Consultation on Environmental and Social Safeguards Review
On November 15, David Hunter and Erika Lennon, along with many other representatives from civil society, participated in the World Bank's Multi-stakeholder consultation on its safeguard policies review and update. This was the first official consultation on the Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies Review and Update since the release of the World Bank's Approach Paper. The consultation is expected to take two years and involve online consultations as well as in person consultations around the world. PICEL plans on participating in this consultation to help ensure that the World Bank does not weaken its existing safeguards by shifting away from safeguards with specific markers and clear, enforceable standards that protect the rights and interests of affected communities from harm. Learn more about the World Bank's Safeguards Review and Update.
Bill Snape Pens Op-Ed on Top Environmental Priorities for President Obama's Second Term
Now that President Barack Obama has been re-elected there are many questions about what the next four years will bring. Bill Snape, WCL Practitioner-in-Residence and Senior Counsel at Center for Biological Diversity, highlighted five proposals to help the environment and move towards a sustainable path for the future in “Five Ways to Fuel Sustainable Growth.” Though the U.S. has numerous environmental laws, we continue to see increasing effects of climate change, pollution, environmental destruction, and the extinction of species. In this article, Bill highlights the five following ways to move to sustainable growth: tackling climate change and ocean acidification through, amongst others, the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act; curbing the extinction crisis, including by joining the 193 other countries in ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity; keeping politics out of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act (including not allowing the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline with insufficient environmental impact assessment); better protecting our public lands; and decreasing our use of fossil fuels.
Read Bill’s Politico Article.
Bill Snape, Practitioner-in-Residence, Discusses the Upcoming Election, Hurricane Sandy, and Climate Change
On Election Day, November 6, 2012, Environmental Law Practitioner-in-Residence Bill Snape appeared on E & E News to discuss climate change, subsidies, and the election. Throughout the election there was little discussion of climate change, however the devastating hurricane that hit the East Coast the week prior changed that. In light of all that, Bill discussed the need for the next president (unknown at the time) to take action to combat climate change. As part of this, he also discussed the debate about government subsidies for both renewables and fossil fuels and the problems with the subsidy system, including the differing amounts. Further he discussed how subsidies related to climate change.
Watch Bill’s Interview on E & E News!
Environmental Law Program Alums Return for ILSP 30th Anniversary Panel on Trends in International Environmental Law 
From October 10 to 12, the International Legal Studies Program (ILSP) celebrated its 30th anniversary with an alumni conference and celebration. Throughout the conference there were panels on trends and developments in many aspects of international law, including commercial arbitration, human rights, torture, intellectual property, women's rights, and, of course, international environmental law. On Thursday, October 11, WCL welcomed back alumni from the JD and LL.M program to speak about trends in international environmental law. Additionally, this year marks the 20th Anniversary of the international environmental law specialization in ILSP and of the Program on International & Comparative Environmental Law, both of which were launched at the Earth Summit in 1992. Panelists included Paul Hagen (JD '90), Marcos Orellana (LL.M '98, SJD '09), Claudia de Windt (LL.M '01), and Gidon Bromberg (LL.M '94). The panel was moderated by the creator of the Program on International Environmental Law and the international environmental law specialization in the LL.M program, Professor Durwood Zaelke. Panelists touched on a variety of issues including improving effectiveness of environmental agreements, the relationship between international agreements and domestic legislation, and the development of international environmental and social standards and accompanying accountability mechanisms in international financial institutions. Paul Hagen discussed supply chains and the relationship between business and environmental protection including the development of international standards. Additionally, he discussed how multilateral environmental agreements can help push domestic legislation. On a related topic, Marcos Orellana discussed how to use a rights-based approach to drafting multilateral environmental agreements and the difficulties of doing so, especially in areas where there is more difficulty seeing the linkages such as the Basel Convention. Claudia de Windt commented on the need to improve access to information, justice, and public participation. She discussed how improving meaningful public participation helps improve environmental compliance and enforcement, and the efforts of the OAS in the Americas. Then, Gidon Bromberg discussed environmental protection in a conflict zone and how people have come together across borders to help protect the Jordan River. Lastly, Durwood Zaelke briefly discussed the need to address short-lived climate actors and the movement being made to regulate these, including black carbon.
See more photos from the panel!
A webcast of the panel will be available soon and this site will be updated with that information.
Environmental Law Program Hikes in Shenandoah National Park 
On October 6, the Environmental Law Society held its annual hike. Professor Amanda Leiter, Professor David Hunter, and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon joined WCL students for a hike in Shenandoah National Park. Approximately 40 people hiked up Little Devil's Stairs and enjoyed a beautiful fall day out of the city and enjoying nature. The Environmental Law Society traditionally holds a hike each fall to get out of the academic setting and enjoy the natural world that is often the focus of environmental law. The group spent the day on the six-mile little devil's stairs hike, which begins with a hike up a ravine and crisscrossing a creek and then is followed by hiking down a fire road past an old cemetery from a 
community that was forced to leave the Blue Ridge Mountains when the national park was created. Organized by the Environmental Law Society, the hike brought together LL.M and JD students (along with environmental law faculty and staff) who had the opportunity to interact with one another and learn more about each others' interests and backgrounds. Being in Shenandoah National Park gave students the opportunity to explore one of the wilderness areas near Washington, DC. Additionally, students were able to learn more about the plants and animals in the surrounding areas. See more pictures on our Flickr page and in our
photo gallery.
(Photo credit: Monika Fidler)
Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape Discusses Why Everyone Loses if the U.S. Continues to Refuse to Sign the Convention on Biological Diversity
With the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) of the Convention on Biological Diversity beginning, Environmental Law Fellow and Practitioner-in-Residence Bill Snape penned an Op-Ed for China Dialogue on "Why everyone loses from U.S. boycott of the UN Biodiversity Agreement." The U.S. is one of only three countries in the world that has not ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was signed in 1992 following the Earth Summit. The Convention on Biological Diversity has a difficult task of trying to form responses to the current problems and threats to biodiversity, including increasing changes to ecosystems due to climate change. Bill Snape's op-ed discusses the potential for the CBD and the problems created by the U.S. continuing not to ratify it.
Read the Op-Ed! It is available in English and Chinese!
Experts Discuss and Assess Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum the Day-After the 
U.S. Supreme Court Hears Re-Argument
On Tuesday, October 2, experts discussed the U.S. Supreme Court's rare re-hearing of Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum on Monday, October 1. The discussion featured Katie Redford (Co-Founder & U.S. Office Director of EarthRights International), Lead Counsel for the Plaintiffs Paul Hoffman (Partner, Schonbrun, De Simone, Seplaw, Harris, Hoffman & Harrison), Former Legal Advisor to the U.S. Department of State John Bellinger (Partner, Arnold & Porter), and Andrew Grossman (Litigator at BakerHostetler and Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation). The lively discussion, moderated by Steve Vladeck (Associate Dean for Scholarship), featured discussion of the Alien Tort Statute, the oral arguments, and the potential ramifications of a Supreme Court decision for holding human rights violators accountable.
More information about this discussion is forthcoming.
View the CSPAN video and coverage! Read a recap!
Environmental Law Society Holds First WCL Car-Free Day
On September 20, the Environmental Law Society held it's first WCL Car-Free Day to coincide with the DC-Wide Car Free Day, which occured on the following Saturday, September 22. Approximately 140 students, faculty, and staff reported to ELS that they had either walked, biked, car-pooled, or used public transportation to get to WCL. Approximately half of the people who went car-free chose to use public transportation (either bus or Metro) to get to WCL, though for many people using public transportation also involved walking. Additionally, 28.4 percent of the people walked, twenty percent biked, and one percent carpooled. The Environmental Law Society encouraged people to be aware of and reduce their carbon footprint as a small step to help reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions; and encouraged people to have more individual car-free days. Thanks to everyone that participated!
Professor Lindsay Wiley Contributes Chapter to a New Book on Climate Change Adaptation
Professor Lindsay Wiley (Director of the Health Law & Justice Program) contributed a chapter to the American Bar Association’s recently published book, The Law of Climate Change Adaptation: United States and International Aspects (eds. Michael Gerrard and Kristina Fischer Kuh). This important book discusses current and proposed laws aimed at adapting to the impacts of climate change, including drought, periodic flooding, wild fires, and sea-level rise, among others. Professor Wiley’s chapter is “Global Health and Disaster Preparedness.” It surveys international and comparative domestic legal frameworks for global health and natural disaster preparedness and response. Professor Wiley points to the lack of adequate legal frameworks to address the intensification of routine, non-emergency public health threats—such as water-related and vector-borne diseases—as a significant climate adaptation challenge.
For more information about this book and Professor Wiley’s contribution, please click here.
The "Hot Air Show" Podcast Records Tenth Episode on Election, Energy, and Climate Politics
The tenth episode of "The Hot Air Show: Carbon Policies, Politics and Markets" featured a discussion of U.S. energy and greenhouse gas politics heading into the 2012 Elections. There have been several significant Clean Air Act judicial decisions over the past few months, and both major candidates have mentioned clean energy and climate change as part of their overall approach to government. What U.S. energy and climate policies are most at stake in the elections? The discussion included the need for climate and energy policy to be a topic during at least one of the presidential debates, the potential (plus pros and cons) of developing a national energy policy, the potential for implementing and merits of a carbon tax, and energy industry subsidies, amongst others. Listen to our Hot Air experts blowing some steam on these important subjects! The podcast features Chris Berendt (Of Counsel, Drinker Biddle and Reath, LLP & Head of the Environmental Markets Team) as host and panelists Kevin Book (Managing Director, Research, ClearView Energy Partners, LLC), Toby Short (Duke Energy), Tyson Slocum (Director, Public Citizen's Energy Program), and Bill Snape (Center for Biological Diversity and Practitioner-in-Residence at WCL).
Download Episode 10! Subscribe to the Podcast series!
David Hunter Discusses Palau and Climate Change in "Ask the Experts"
Palau, a small island nation in the Pacific, has asked for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to try and hold other nations accountable for environmental damage caused by climate change. On August 10, 2012, PBS produced an episode of "Need to Know" focusing on Palau's decision to turn to the ICJ as part of its attempts to address the threat of climate change. As a small island state, Palau is vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Professor David Hunter participated in the "Ask the Experts" section related to this episode. There, Professor Hunter comments on Palau's attempt to hold other nations accountable for environmental damage.
Read Professor Hunter's responses in "Ask the Experts". And watch the Episode of "Need to Know."
Program Coordinator Erika Lennon Participates in Civil Society Consultation with the CAO
On July 23, Program Coordinator Erika Lennon participated in a Civil Society Consultation with the Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO) regarding its operational guidelines. The CAO is the accountability mechanism for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is the World Bank's private sector lending arm, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). Currently the CAO is revising its operational guidelines, which establish how the CAO works and interacts with communities and individuals who have concerns about the social and environmental impacts of projects of IFC or MIGA. The consultation was held at the IFC and is part of a longer comment process, which ends on August 24. To learn more about the consultation and comment period visit the CAO, www.cao-ombudsman.org. At the consultation, Erika Lennon and other members of civil society provided feedback, praise, and criticism about the new policies and suggested ways to improve them to ensure that affected peoples and communities have easy access to the CAO when IFC or MIGA projects are adversely affecting their environment.
Professor Amanda Leiter Blogs on Fracking
Following her Environmental Law Summer Session course on Fracking (see below), Professor Amanda Leiter wrote a piece on the Environmental Law Professors blog about the dangers of fracking, including new and old environmental and public health issues surrounding this type of extraction. She also discusses the readings she and Professor Sankar used to help give a picture of the issue to students in her course.
Read Professor Amanda Leiter's Blog on Her Fracking Course!
Summer Session Students Meet Experts in New Course on Fracking
This summer, Professors Amanda Leiter and Sambhav Sankar taught a new course on Hydraulic Fracturing ("Fracking") Law and Policy, in which students learned about the complex science and unsettled law of hydraulic fracturing and met with experts from industry, local government, and an environmental NGO to hear various perspectives about this timely topic. Khary Cauthen, the Director of Federal Relations at the American Petroleum Institute (API), discussed environmental and health risks of natural gas drilling. Students also had the opportunity to learn about fracking law in two states that have very different approaches to the issue: New York and Pennsylvania. Haley Stein, Assistant Corporation Counsel in the New York City Law Department, discussed fracking policy in New York as well as the risks that natural gas drilling upstate poses to New York City's water supply. Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator of the Most Endangered Rivers Campaign at American Rivers, provided a perspective from an environmental NGO. She focused on both national fracking policy and fracking in Pennsylvania, which has large deposits of natural gas in shale rock. The course and guest speakers gave students a broad overview of the fracking issue and a range of perspectives to consider when thinking about the costs and benefits of the ongoing natural gas boom.
Local, state, and national governments in the U.S. and abroad are currently wrestling with fracking law and policy. To learn more about this topic, click here for a list of readings from this class. If you're interested in viewing the course syllabus, please contact Professor Leiter at leiter@wcl.american.edu.
PICEL Faculty and Staff Participate in IUCN Academy on Environmental Law's Annual Colloquium
Professor David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon participated in the 10th Annual Colloquium of the IUCN Academy on Environmental Law. The IUCN Academy on Environmental Law, of which WCL is a member, held this year's colloquium at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law in Baltimore from July 1 to 5. This year's colloquium focused on Global Environmental Law at a Crossroads. Distinguished speakers and panelists discussed a variety of pressing topics including the outcome of Rio+20. Additionally, many presented research papers during the breakout sessions which had topics related to all aspects of environmental law including public participation, the marine environment, global environmental governance, forests, and improving environmental enforcement, amongst others. The colloquium brought together professors, scholars, and international environmental lawyers from around the globe. Additionally, Erika participated in the Colloquium on Environmental Justice, Access to Information, and Public Participation held on July 5 at the World Bank in conjunction with the IUCN Academy's Colloquium. This event is part of the Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development and it discussed the evolution of environmental justice and the implementation of Rio Principle 10 worldwide, as well as what happened at Rio+20. Keynote speakers at this event included Brazilian Superior Court of Justice Judge Antonio Benjamin, U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Ignacia Moreno, and Professor John Bonine.
PICEL Hosts the Eighth Annual Environmental Law Summer Session
From May 29 to June 22, the Program on International and Comparative Environmental held its Eighth Annual Summer Session on Environmental Law. The Summer Session welcomed participants from over twenty different countries and included law students, international policy scholars, and lawyers working in a variety of organizations. This year's summer session featured nine courses, including two new ones on Hydraulic Fracturing ("Fracking") Law & Policy and on International Climate Change Law. Additionally, there were courses on environmental compliance and enforcement, climate change and emissions trading, international business and the environment, environmental law and the U.S. Congress, trade and the environment, and international wildlife law. Distinguished professors from government (including the Department of Interior), inter-governmental organizations (the Organization of the American States) the private sector and law firms (including VanNess Feldman, Beveridge & Diamond, and the American Chemistry Council), and NGOs (including INECE, CEMDA, and Western Energy Project) taught courses. The International Institutions and Environmental Protection course again featured site visits to numerous international organizations including the the U.S. Department of State, IFC Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman, the World Bank Inspection Panel, UNEP Regional O
ffice of North America, the OAS Department of Sustainable Development, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), and the World Resources Institute (WRI). At each of these organizations, our summer session participants met with lawyers, including several WCL alumni, and experts working on environmental issues. They learned about a wide-range of topics including international chemicals negotiations, mediation, accountability mechanisms at international financial institutions, the international climate regime and negotiations, working with communities to ensure their rights, and Rio+20, amongst others. The site visits allowed participants to learn what it was like to participate in international negotiations from various perspectives, including being an NGO, an IGO, and the government official actually negotiating. They also gave participants a chance to understand how the accountability mechanisms at two leading international financial institutions worked. The wide-variety of participants gave WCL students a unique opportunity to interact with other environmental professionals from around the world. For more information about the Summer Session, please visit our Summer Session website. To see photos from the site visits, follow us on Twitter @auwclEnvLaw.
Visit the Photo Gallery Here!
Professor Amanda Leiter Hosts Junior Environmental Law Scholar Works-in-Progress Workshop
On June 1-2, Professor Amanda Leiter hosted the first Junior Environmental Law Scholar Works-in-Progress Workshop at WCL. Five law professors submitted works in progress prior to the workshop, and the participants all read the works and provided in-depth comments. Participants came from as close as UMBC and as far away as BYU. Additionally, Professor Leiter led everyone on an excursion to the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens on the Anacostia River. Read more here.
Professor David Hunter Blogs About Rio+20
On the eve of the high level segment of Rio+20 being held from June 20 to 22, Professor David Hunter blogs about "Meeting Low Expectations at Rio+20" on the Center for Progressive Reform's Member Scholars blog. Professor Hunter highlighted the differences between the excitement and expectations going into the Earth Summit in 1992 as compared to Rio+20 this year. However, he does point out that while expectations are low, there is some value to having these international summits focused on issues of sustainable development. To read his blog, click here.
International Participants and Professors Participate in the Second Annual Seminar with the Organization of American States
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law and the Organization of American States Department of Sustainable Development held the Second Annual intensive seminar on Trade and Environment from May 29 to June 2. The seminar is part of the Environmental Law Summer Session at WCL. This week-long seminar brought together participants from ten different countries and from various professional backgrounds to study issues surrounding trade and the environment. Having participants from around the world, gave WCL students the chance to interact with people from all different countries and backgrounds in a unique way. Participants engaged in intensive study of topics related to trade and environment including trade law, international environmental law, regulation of agriculture, intellectual property issues, enforcement of environmental standards, regional free trade agreements, multilateral environmental agreements, and sustainable development, amongst others. Additionally, participants learned about negotiating agreements and issues that arise post-negotiation. Participants were taught by lecturers from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Ecuador, and Canada. Lecturers included the President of CEMDA, WCL Professors, and representatives from the OAS, amongst others. In addition to listening to lectures, the participants had a “site visit” from ExxonMobil representatives who came to discuss the work they do, including their environmental practices as a large energy, primarily oil, company. This gave the participants a chance to learn more about how multinational companies fit in to the international trade regime and how or if they use environmental standards. The seminar also featured a panel discussion on post-negotiation issues featuring Alejandra Goyenechea (Defenders of Wildlife, ILSP LL.M '01), Amy Karpel (Office of the US Trade Representative, WCL JD '99), and Ashley Amidon (International Wood Products Association). The intensive seminar concluded with a Trade Simulation Exercise in which participants were assigned roles to play and engaged in mock negotiations. This simulation exercise allowed participants to use the lessons they learned about negotiations and the information they learned about trade and environment instruments. For more information about the program and lecturers, visit our website.
Visit the Photo Gallery Here!
Practitioner in Residence Bill Snape Participates in Congressional Briefing
Bill Snape, a practioner in residence at WCL and Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, participated in a Congressional Staff Briefing on "Whatever Happened to Biodiversity?" The briefing discussed and highlighted the importance of biodiversity initiatives. You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Ky7uu5FWU.
Professor David Hunter Comments on Executive Order "Promoting International Regulatory Cooperation"
Program Director David Hunter wrote a blog, "Executive Order Embraces International Regulatory Race to the Bottom as Official Administration Policy," warning people about the potential negative ramifications of President Obama's new Executive Order. The Executive Order is designed to "reduce, eliminate or prevent unnecessary differences in regulatory requirements," which, on its face, does not seem to be a problem; however, it will likely lead to more deregulation and fewer environmental protections. Regulations help protect the environment, public health, and safety. Professor Hunter points out that an Executive Order designed to promote international regulatory cooperation and to eliminate differences in country's regulatory requirements could lead to an upward harmonization of policies that would promote efficiency and environmental protections. However, he also points out that is not the case here.
Read more about Professor Hunter's take on the new Executive Order at the Center for Progressive Reform's blog. David Hunter is a Member Scholar of the Center for Progressive Reform and occasionally blogs on topics related to environmental law.
ELS Celebrates Earth Day 
Every April 22, people across the country celebrate Earth Day! As part of this celebration the Environmental Law Society encouraged their fellow law students, their professors, and all at WCL to pledge to do their part to protect the environment. At right, ELS students collect people's pledges for what they will do to reduce their carbon footprint, for example, riding a bike to law school rather than driving a car. ELS knows that every little bit counts and everyone can do something small in an effort to have a greener future for our planet and future generations.
PICEL Staff and Students Participate in the World Bank Spring Meetings
The World Bank and International Monetary Fund held their annual Spring Meetings and coinciding Civil Society Policy Forum from April 18 to April 21, 2012. Professor David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon lead a WCL team of students including Tom Richards (JD candidate, '14), Yulia Genin (ILSP LL.M. candidate), and Gregory Arnoult (ILSP LL.M. candidate, '12). During the Spring Meetings the WCL team interacted with Bank staff and other civil society organizations in discussions about topics ranging from jobs for youth and coal development to environmental and social safeguards and accountability mechanisms. The discussions allowed for learn opportunities, networks, and advocacy. Additionally, Professor David Hunter served as a moderator for a number of panels including ones on the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline (a World Bank project that highlights the downfalls of the resource curse) and a new grievance mechanism at the World Bank focused on problem-solving. He also moderated a panel at an event on EIR+10, which looked at where we've come since the Extractive Industries Review ten years ago, and his panel focused on affected communities and indigenous peoples.
PICEL Co-Hosts Conference on Rio+20 and Beyond with the International Environmental Law Committee of the ABA Section on International Law and CIEL, amongst others
On April 10, 2012, the Program on International & Comparative Environmental Law co-hosted a half-day conference with the Committee on International Environmental Law of the ABA Section on International Law, the International Environmental Law 
Committee of the ABA Section on Energy, Environment, and Resources, the Center for International Environmental Law, the American Society for International Law, the WCL Environmental Law Society, and the WCL Sustainable Development Law & Policy publication on the Road to Rio+20 and Beyond. The conference featured two panels of experts discussing the development of international environmental law and sustainable development. The first panel looked at where we've come since the Earth Summit in Rio in 2002 and what advances, or lack there of, have been made in international environmental law and looked ahead to what may happen this June in Rio. The first panel was moderated by Kim Smaczniak (DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division) and panelists included: Jacob Scherr (NRDC), David Downes (Dept. of Interior), Marcos Orellana (CIEL), and Claudia de Windt (OAS Dept. of Sustainable Development). The panelists all acknowledged that there has been a lack of leadership from anyone, including Brazil, in the lead up to this conference and that unlike in 2002, there was significant less excitement and hope. Additionally, the panelists discussed the fact that the principles of the Rio Declaration are still not as widely accepted as one might have hoped. Panelists provided a variety of 
perspectives including the state of the world and the variety of actors now involved in the discussion, the role of science and movement into the anthropocene era, the relationship between human rights and the environment and the need to use human rights as a lens, and the development of environmental law in Latin America. Following this discussion, the second panel looked at where we are going and what was going to happen in international environmental law following Rio+20. The panel was moderated by Ken Markowitz (Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement) and panelists included: Amy Fraenkel (UNEP Regional Office of North America), Charles DiLeva (World Bank), and Niranjali Amerasinghe (CIEL). This discussion focused on the need for better enforcement of environmental laws and the movement away from treaties as the main source of international environmental law.
Watch the Webcast!
See the Agenda.
Professor Amanda Leiter Publishes Article
Professor Amanda Leiter and Kevin Haroff published "On the Merits: EME Homer City Generation, L.P. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency," in On the Merits, an educational publication of the Washington Legal Foundation that provides a concise and timely analysis of pending litigation. Professor Leiter and Haroff discuss EME Homer City Generation, L.P. v. EPA, which is a case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that focuses on the Clean Air Act.
SDLP Hosts Annual Symposium, "On the Brink: Environmental Conflicts Along the Path Towards Sustainable Development"
On March 19 the Sustainable Development Law & Policy publication held a symposium entitled "On the Brink: Environmental Conflicts Along the Path Towards Sustainable Development." This event focused on challenges and opportunities in the development of alternative energy resources, development of public lands and natural resources, and international resources conflicts. The opening panel focused on the development of energy resources. Panelists from the Sierra Club spoke about oil development and the environmental movement's fight against oil development, especially the Keystone XL pipeline, while her co-worker discussed the transportation bill being discussed in Congress. They were followed by panelists who discussed wind energy development, carbon taxes, and solar development. The second panel focused specifically on the development of public lands and extraction of natural resources. Representatives from the government, law firms, and NGOs debated this topic. Lastly, the symposium concluded with a keynote address from Carl Bruch who discussed international resources conflicts. His discussion touched on issues such as water wars, post-conflict resource development, and international environmental law.
You can view the webcast in three parts: Panel One, Panel Two, and Keynote Address. See the Agenda.
The event is also available as a podcast as part of The Hot Air Show.
PICEL Co-Hosts Post-Kiobel Celebration with EarthRights International and Harvard Law School's Human Rights Clinic (update) 
On Tuesday, February 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum (Shell) to decide whether corporations can be sued in U.S. courts for human rights abuses under the Alien Tort Statute. The case arose following the execution of Nigerian citizens who were protesting the oil exploration and exploitation that Royal Dutch Petroleum was undertaking. The majority of cases involving corporate accountability for human rights abuses in the U.S. have been litigated under the ATS, which is a statute created by the Founders in 1789. In celebration of Kiobel being argued, EarthRights International (which has been working on this case and frequently litigates cases using the ATS), Harvard Law School's Human Rights Clinic, and WCL held a celebration at Busboys and Poets to honor Paul Hoffman, lead counsel at the 
Supreme Court, and all those who have worked to help bring the corporation to justice for human rights abuses. The celebration brought together law students and lawyers. This celebration allowed everyone to discuss the case and re-connect, and celebrate the on-going work begin done to protect human rights and the environment.
To read a transcript of the oral argument in Kiobel, click here. The Supreme Court announced on March 5 that it would not be issuing a decision in Kiobel this term as was expected, but instead ordered the re-argument of the case and asked parties to brief the issue of "whether and under what circumstances the Alien Tort Statute ... allows courts to recognize a cause of action for violations of the law of nations occurring within the territory of a sovereign other than the United States." Thus, Kiobel will know likely be re-heard in the October term.
Images: At top right, Katie Redford, Co-Founder and U.S. Office Director of EarthRights International, discusses the case with WCL students Chelsea Tu and Upasana Khatri. At bottom left, a view of the celebration.
David Hunter Blogs About Reasons the U.S. Should Ratify the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrol
Professor David Hunter, PICEL Program Director and a Center for Progressive Reform (CPR) member scholar blogged about the reasons the United States should ratify the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrol. The U.S. signed the agreement to protect these two migratory bird species, but the Senate has yet to ratify the Agreement. Both the Bush and Obama administrations supported the ratification of this Agreement, however, as is often the case with environmental agreements, the Senate has failed to ratify.
Read CPR's blog to find out the many reasons that the U.S. should ratify the Agreement and show its willingness to cooperate internationally to protect these birds.
Women and the Law Program Hosts "Fertile Ground: Exploring the Intersection Between the Reproductive and Environmental Justice Movements"
On Thursday, February 23, the Women and the Law Program hosted an event on exploring the intersection between the reproductive and environmental justice movements. Women and communities living in economically disadvantaged areas, disproportionately suffer exposure to harmful chemicals from environmental hazards which pose serious consequences for their reproductive health. Both the reproductive justice and environmental justice movements focus on improving socioeconomic and environmental conditions for communities living in poverty. Despite their similarities, these movements have historically operated on parallel tracks, often working in isolation. The panelists discussed the intersection of these two movements and strategies for future collaboration. The panel was moderated by Daniela Kraiem, Associate Director of the Women and the Law Program, and included Kimberly Inez McGuire (Policy Analyst, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health); Jill C. Morrison (Senior Counsel, National Women's Law Center); Michele Roberts (Campaign & Policy Coordinator, Advocates for Environmental Human Rights); and Vernice Miller-Travis (Vice-Chair, Maryland State Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities). Daniela Kraiem, Associate Director of the Women and the Law Program, will moderate the panel.
Watch the Podcast!
WCL Environmental Law Students Compete in the Pace Law School National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition
Josh Fieldstone, Jacqui Shelton, and Chelsea Tu represented WCL at the Twenty-Fourth Annual National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (NELMCC) held by Pace Law School from February 23-25, 2012. Professor Amanda Leiter coached the team and worked with them to prepare them for the competition. The WCL team traveled to White Plains, NY to compete against over 60 law schools from across the United States. Prior to going to Pace Law School for the oral rounds of the competition, the team worked together to write an appellate brief that required them to do extensive research into environmental law, including the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act, and administrative law. This competition allowed the WCL team to take a detailed look at some of the environmental statutes and how courts have interpreted them. Additionally, the team worked with numerous professors and environmental lawyers who helped them do practice moots to prepare them for the rounds of oral competition, where they had to argue for all three parties and not just the party for which they wrote their brief.
(Picture, from left to right: Professor Amanda Leiter, Josh Fieldstone, Jacqui Shelton, Chelsea Tu)
Professor David Hunter Discusses the Challenges of Reducing Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions at California Western School of Law
On February 23, PICEL Director David Hunter spoke at California Western School of Law in San Diego, CA about the challenges of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. His talk focused on the international climate negotiations and what has happened since the negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol. Professor Hunter also discussed the challenges of negotiating an international climate agreement that countries with different interests can all agree to and implement domestically.
Read California Western's blog about the event.
WCL Environmental Law Students Compete in the Pacific Regional of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition 
Ashley Gardana, Larissa Liebmann, and Norah Patrick represented WCL at the Pacific Regional of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition, which was held at the University of Denver (Colorado) from February 17-18, 2012. The team competed against teams representing a number of law schools from the western United States. Earlier in the academic year, the team completed a written memorial for the competition and while in Denver they competed in two rounds of oral arguments. During the preparation for the competition, Ashley, Larissa, and Norah worked with a variety of professors and environmental law practitioners who generously donated their time to help moot the team. Additionally, they did extensive research about nuclear accidents, customary international environmental law, sovereign bonds, the law of treaties, and the rules of the International Court of Justice.
Environmental Law Society Hosts Environmental Law Career Panel
The WCL Environmental Law Society and the Office of Career and Professional Development hosted an Environmental Law Career panel on February 13, 2012. The career panel featured lawyers from government agencies, law firms, and non-profits who are shared their experiences in how they got their jobs in environmental law. They also shared advice with current law students about strategies for getting a job in the environmental field. The panel also featured an alumna of WCL. Panelists included: Stacy Coleman (Associate Attorney, Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Enforcement Section); Dan Squire (Partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale Dorr LLP); Carroll Muffett (President & CEO, Center for International Environmental Law); Stacey VanBelleghem ('08) (Associate, Latham & Watkins, LLP); and Mike Walker (Director, National Enforcement Training Institute, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Professor Amanda Leiter chaired the panel. Watch a webcast of the panel.
Bill Snape, Environmental Law Practitioner-in-Residence, Files Amicus Brief with WTO on Dolphin-Safe Tuna
Bill Snape, a Practitioner-in-Residence in the Program on International Environmental Law, and the Humane Society of the United States filed an amicus brief with the World Trade Organization in regards to Dolphin-Safe Tuna.
Read the amicus brief.
Environmental Law Program Hosts Atlantic Regional Qualifying Round of the Stetson International 
Environmental Moot Court Competition - UPDATE
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law is proud to host the North America Atlantic Regional Qualifying Round of the 16th Annual Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition. WCL welcomed 9 teams from law schools in the United States, the Bahamas, and Trinidad & Tobago to compete in this regional to determine what two teams will advance to the International Finals in March. Leading international environmental lawyers from government (including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Interior, and the Department of Justice), law firms (including Beveridge & Diamond), and non-profits (including the Center for International Environmental Law, EarthRights International, Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, amongst others) served serve as judges for the Atlantic Regional. The judges for the 
final round (as seen above) were Carroll Muffett (President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law), Durwood Zaelke (founder and President of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development and Director of the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement), Katie Redford (Co-Founder and US Office Director of EarthRights International). Other lawyers who served as moot court judges included: Niranjali Amerasinghe, Zugeilly Coss Sanz, David Downes, Yulia Genin, Milos Hrnjaz, Alyssa Johl, Russ LaMotte, Amanda Leiter, Marco Simons, Kim Smaczniak, Marie Soveroski, Surya Subedi, Tom Wetterer, and Glenn Wiser. WCL alumni who helped as judges included: Abbey Baker ('11), Melissa Blue Sky ('11), Daniel Brindis ('08), Laura Drummond ('11), Alejandra Goyenechea ('01), Paul Hagen ('90), Addie Haughey ('10), Rachel Kirby ('10), Chris Kyle ('11), James Mitchell ('08), Marcos Orellana ('98, '09), Michael Stone ('92), and Beth Zgoda ('10). The competition was held from February 4 to 5, 2012. The preliminary rounds consisted of three rounds in which the nine teams argued at least three times on Saturday, February 4. Then on Sunday, the top 4 teams competed in the semi-finals and the competition ended with the final argument of the two winning teams from the semi-finals. The Atlantic Regional was kicked off with a Welcome Reception co-sponsored by the Center for International Environmental Law for participants, WCL alumni, and environmental lawyers and advocates.
See photos from the Atlantic Regional.
2011
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law Participates in the International Climate Negotiations - UPDATE 
Program Coordinator Erika Lennon is leading a team of WCL students participating in the Seventeenth Conference of the Parties (COP-17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban, South Africa. Zugeilly Coss, Emmett Pepper, Ashley Gardana, and Braunson Virjee will be participating in the Durban Climate Project. Emmett, Ashley, Braunson, and Erika will be working with the Center for International Environmental Law and other environmental NGOs on numerous issues related to the international climate regime. This work will cover a variety of issues including climate finance (with a focus on safeguards and accountability mechanisms in the Green Climate Fund and other financial mechanisms), reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) and applicable safeguards and accountability, compliance (MRV), the legal framework, public participation, and the future of the Kyoto Protocol, amongst others. As the world enters the final year of the first commitment period, which ends on December 31, 2012, of the Kyoto Protocol, COP-17 represents an opportunity to 
ensure that there is a framework moving forward that includes legally binding emissions reduction commitments from most, if not all, countries and a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Zugeilly Coss, an LL.M. student in the International Legal Studies Program, will be participating in COP-17 as a member of the Dominican Republic delegation. As such, she will be working towards an agreement that will help the Dominican Republic and the world take steps to combat climate change by mitigating the causes, and to also adapt to the changes that countries face due to climate change. (Pictured at left: Ashley Gardana, Emmett Pepper, Zugeilly Coss, the Dominican Republic's Head of Delegation, and Erika Lennon). COP-17 will be held from November 28 to December 9 in Durban, South Africa.
Follow the WCL Durban Climate Project and their work on Twitter @auwclEnvLaw. See a Photo Gallery from their time in Durban at COP-17.
Four Days After Thousands of People Encircle the White House, the Administration Announces that a 
Decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline from the Tarsands to the Gulf of Mexico Will Be Delayed
On November 6, 2011, thousands of people, including WCL students, alumni, and Professor Bill Snape, gathered at the White House to urge President Obama to say no to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that would run from the tarsands in Alberta, Canada to oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. This protest culminated in the people forming a circle around the White House. Four days later, the Obama administration announced that it was going to delay making a decision on approving the Keystone XL pipeline in order to examine alternate routes. This delay means that any decision on the Keystone XL pipeline likely will not be made until 2013 because examining alternate routes will involve new environmental assessments and consultations. However, this delay in making a decision does not necessarily mean that the Keystone XL pipeline will not be built, but that could, and hopefully, will be the case. It does though allow for the continuation of the discussion of the negative impacts and proposed benefits; and it could allow for time to discuss other alternative proposals for energy sources. The proposed Keystone XL pipeline will transport dirty tarsands oil, the extraction and use of which will contribute to global climate change, through the midwest where it could potentially spill oil and pollute the land and water. It is important to consider all of the effects of this pipeline, including conducting proper environmental impact assessments, which is something that the State Department and developers had been criticized for not doing for the proposed pipeline so far. In its media release, the State Department indicated that it would consider all the "relevant issues" to determine whether the pipeline is in the national interest, and that these issues would include "environmental concerns (including climate change)." It is encouraging to see that the State Department is committed to considering climate change in its determination about whether to approve any Keystone XL pipeline. These environmental concerns, after all, have led to the many protests, which ultimately contributed to the Obama Administration r econsidering its approval of the pipeline by the end of the year, the deadline they had previously been working towards. It is a positive step that the Obama administration has decided to delay making a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline in order to do a more thorough investigation into the environmental impacts of this endeavor and to reexamine whether it is in our national interest. (Photo above includes Veronica Gonzales (ILSP LL.M candidate), Laura Peterson ('11), Chelsea Tu ('13), Center for Biological Diversity's polar bear, Professor Bill Snape, and Ashley Gardana ('12).
See photos of WCL students and Professor Bill Snape at the November 6 protest #nokxl.
AU President Highlights AU's Committment to Environmental and Social Responsibility
In a message to the AU Community, President Neil Kerwin, highlighted American University's Committment to Social Responsibility and Service by issuing a "Statement of Social Responsibility Principles for AU Business Partners." This statement includes expectations for AU business partners to conduct business in socially responsible ways and to have policies in place to acheive this. Additionally, it calls for environmental compliance by which AU business partners will conduct business in a way that shows their committment to the "protection and preservation of the global environment." Read President Kerwin's statement.
David Hunter and Bill Snape file an Amicus Brief on Behalf of 14 International Environmental Law Professors and Practitioners - Update
David Hunter and Bill Snape filed an amicus brief on behalf of 14 international environmental law practitioners and professors including Erika Lennon, Coordinator of the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law in Arias et al v. DynCorp et all, which is being heard in the D.C. District Court. The amicus brief primarily focuses on the obligation to prevent significant transboundary environmental harm as part of customary international law. Fourteen international environmental law professors and practitioners signed on to this brief including: Carroll Muffett, Marcos Orellana, Carl Bruch, Chris Wold, John Bonine, Svitlana Kravchenko, Jacob Werksman, Durwood Zaelke, John Pendergrass, Dr. Wil Burns, and Victor Flatt, along with David Hunter, Bill Snape, and Erika Lennon.
On November 21, United States District Court Judge Richard Roberts granted our Motion for Leave to File an Amicus brief despite the Defendants' opposition.
Read the motion for leave to file an amicus brief and the amicus brief.
Erika Lennon and Two WCL Students Attend Consultation with UNEP RONA on Key Messages Leading Up to Rio+20
Program Coordinator Erika Lennon along with Braunson Virjee and Chelsea Tu, the co-Editors-in-Chief of the Sustainable Development Law & Policy Publication, represented the WCL environmental law program at a one and a half day consultation with the United Nations Environment Program Regional Office for North America (UNEP RONA) to help establish key messages leading up to Rio+20, which is the UN Conference on Sustainable Development being held 20 years after the Rio Conference that resulted in the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, and various other multilateral environmental agreements. Rio+20 is being held in June 2012. In preparation for that, UNEP RONA held a consultation with major groups and stakeholders so as to receive input from civil society about the key messages to take from the region to the UNEP Governing Council meeting in 2012. The focus of the consultation was the two themes for Rio+20, the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and the institutional framework for sustainable development. During the consultation Braunson, Chelsea, and Erika, alongside civil society members and government representatives from both the U.S. and Canada, were able to give their input on these themes and what would be good policies to bring to the table for discussion in the lead up to Rio+20. Much of the discussion centered on the governance necessary to ensure that the goals of sustainable development could be met and that the economic growth needed for poverty alleviation is green. This included a focus on law especially as it relates to environmental compliance and enforcement. The consultation included presentations from civil society, U.S. government representatives, UNEP, and international lawyers, as well as a number of working groups. For more information about the consultation, please visit UNEP RONA. The WCL environmental law program also got to contribute to the formation of key messages that will be reflected in a forthcoming document about the key messages that UNEP RONA will take to the Governing Council meeting next year.
Erika Lennon and David Hunter Submit Comments to the World Bank on their Proposed Program-For Results (P4R) Financing Plan
Program Coordinator Erika Lennon and Professor David Hunter of the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law submitted comments to the World Bank about their proposed Program-For-Results (P4R) Financing Plan. The comments were submitted as part of the World Bank's official consultation period on their recent draft for the P4R Financing Plan. P4R would shift the way that the World Bank invests in programs and projects and would likely mean that many projects will be funded without having to comply with the valuable environmental and social safeguards that the Bank has put in place to protect local communities and the environment. Given our concern with strengthening global environmental and social standards, we submitted comments to express concern about shifting a large portion of the World Bank's portfolio into a lending system that would not apply the environmental and social safeguards to its programs even though it has the potential to fund projects that would require compliance with those safeguards if the money came through a different World Bank financing plan.
Read the Submitted Comments.
Ashley Gardana, Elana Katz-Mink, and Joel Scata at the World Bank Annual Meetings.
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law's David Hunter and Erika Lennon, accompanied by Environmental Law Students Participated in the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF
Professor David Hunter, Program Coordinator Erika Lennon, and four students, Ashley Gardana, Joel Scata, Elana Katz-Mink, and Tom Richards participated in the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF. They joined civil society organizations from around the world who were in Washington, DC for the Annual Meetings. From September 21 to 24, 2011, the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law joined many in the Civil Society Policy Forum during which they were able to interact with other members of civil society and World Bank staff members, and discuss important environmental and social issues related to activities of the World Bank. Further participants were able to interact with members of the World Bank Inspection Panel and the International Finance Corporation's Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman to learn about how these important accountability mechanisms work to ensure the World Bank Group entities comply with their environmental and social standards.
Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape's Gulf Oil Spill Lawsuit Allowed to Continue In Part
Judge Thomas F. Hogan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a ruling in Center for Biological Diversity v. Salazar, which Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape argued in March (see below). In his September 13, 2011 decision, Judge Hogan ruled that the case could go forward, at least in part. Judge Hogan only allowed three of the Center for Biological Diversity's claims, all regarding Lease Sale 213, which occurred during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, to proceed forward. Thus, the Center for Biological Diversity's claims that Lease Sale 213 in the Gulf of Mexico violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) will be able to go forward on the merits, and survive the Defendants' motions to dismiss. The case will move forward on the merits of these claims, even though the larger legal and policy issues regarding oil drilling will not be litigated here.
For more information, read the Opinion.
Ninth Circuit Overturns Lower Court in a FOIA case (about the US-Canada softwood lumber agreement) in which Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape is co-counsel
On Friday, September 16, 2011, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court's judgment in Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. Office of the United States Trade Representative, which Senior Counsel for the Center for Biological Diversity and WCL Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape had argued, as co-counsel, on behalf of the environmental groups. Four years ago, in 2007, the environmental groups submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for information about the U.S.-Canada softwood lumber agreement particularly in relation to how the USTR handed out funds to "meritorious initiatives" under the agreement. The FOIA request asked for information in regards to the USTR's allotments for these "meritorious initiatives" and the selection of the organizations to receive the funds. After not receiving the information about how the funds were used and the deals being made between the governments and the timber industry, the environmental groups filed this lawsuit claiming that the USTR had failed to release all the documents that would be necessary to satisfy a request. A lower court agreed with the USTR that it had adequately complied with the request and granted its request for summary judgment. However, the Ninth Circuit vacated the lower court's ruling and held that the USTR improperly withheld documents, thus it remanded the case to the lower court where the USTR will have to provide more information about its searches and why it did not conduct additional searches in order to prove that it complied with the FOIA request accurately.
For more information, see the Law360 article and read the Ninth Circuit's Decision.
EPA Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy (Office of Air and Radiation) Participates in "The Hot Air Show" Podcast
On Thursday, August 25, 2011, Gina McCarthy, the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined "The Hot Air Show: Carbon Policies, Politics & Markets," the serial podcast co-produced by WCL's Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law and the American Bar Association's Energy and Environmental Markets and Finance Committee. Episode 7 of "The Hot Air Show" focused on the Clean Air Act and how the EPA is addressing climate change. Alongside Gina McCarthy, the panel of experts included Bill Snape, an Environmental Law Fellow at WCL and Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, Peter Glaser, a Partner at Troutman Sanders, and host of the show, Chris Berendt, Of Counsel at Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP. The discussion focused on the regulatory efforts of the EPA, primarily the Office of Air and Radiation, to address climate change including proposed regulations to regulate emissions from coal-fired power plants, mandatory greenhouse gas reporting, and the Ozone rule. Also, for the first time ever, the show was taped before a live studio audience and featured a question and answer session. Listen to Episode 7 and Subscribe to the Hot Air Show.
WCL and the World Bank Inspection Panel Host an Independent Accountability Mechanisms Conference
On Friday, June 24, the Washington College of Law and the World Bank Inspection Panel held a Conference on Challenges of International Accountability: Lessons from Independent Accountability Mechanisms. The Conference started with a market place that allowed the various independent accountability mechanisms to bring materials about what they do and for participants to talk to representatives from the mechanisms. The Conference then featured a multiple panel discussions and presentations from both members of the Independent Accountability Mechanisms at the various multilateral development banks and members of civil society who work on issues related to the international financial institutions. For details about the panelists, please see the agenda.
Watch the webcast of the conference. You can see the Conference by panel discussion. Click on the links below to watch the video.
Welcome Remarks and Comparative Presentation
IAM's Effectiveness and Credibility
Soverignty and Accountability
Accountability and the Private Sector
Trade and Environment Seminar Ends with a Joint Reception with the Independent Accountability Mechanisms Conference
On Friday, June 24, the Program on International Environmental Law hosted a closing reception for the Conference on Challenges of International Accountability: Lessons from Independent Accountability Mechanisms and the Trade and Environment Seminar held in conjunction with the Organization of American States (OAS). Participants from the Conference, which included members of the independent accountability mechanisms at the international financial institutions, and the Trade and Environment seminar were able to interact with one another and share experiences.
Albert R. Ramdin, OAS Assistant Secretary General
Date: June 21, 2011
Place: Washington, DC
Credit: Patricia Levia/OAS
OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin Welcomes Participants in Trade and Environment Seminar at Welcome Reception
The Organization of American States and the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law hosted a Welcome Reception for their jointly-sponsored Trade and Environment Seminar. The reception, held at the Organization of American States Main Building, featured welcome remarks from OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin. At the reception participants in the seminar had a chance to interact with lecturers from the seminar, OAS staff members, and WCL faculty and staff. Please see the press release and photographs for more details about the reception.
Inaugural Trade and Environment Seminar with the Organization of American States Welcomes International Participants and Professors 
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law worked in conjunction with the Department of Sustainable Development at the Organization of American States (OAS) to hold an intensive seminar on Trade and Environment from June 20 to June 24, 2011. This week-long seminar brought together participants from fifteen different countries to study various aspects related to international trade and the environment including regional free-trade agreements, multilateral environmental agreements, intellectual property issues, market access issues, sustainable development, and enforcement of environmental standards, amongst others. The participants were taught by lecturers from various countries in the Americas including Canada, the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. Lecturers included the Vice Minister of Trade from Costa Rica, the President of CEMDA (the Mexican Environmental Law Center), and various people from the Organization of American States, amongst others. In addition to attending seminars, participants visited the Domino Sugar Factory in Baltimore, MD, where they learned about sugar processing, the factory's environmental practices, and the international nature of the sugar trade. For more information about the program and lecturers, visit our website.
Environmental Law Summer Session Welcomes International Participants 
The Seventh Annual Environmental Law Summer Session, which was held from May 31 to June 17, welcomes participants from eighteen different countries. These lawyers came with a variety of experiences from their work at non-governmental organizations, government, or law firms. During the three-week Environmental Law Summer Session, the participants visited the World Bank Inspection Panel, the World Resources Institute, the Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for North America (RONA), the Department of Sustainable Development at the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). At each of these organizations, participants interacted with lawyers and experts who work there. Additionally, the participants interacted with lawyers and interns from Accountability Counsel. These site visits were coordinated in conjunction with the seminar on International Institutions and Environmental Protection. The Environmental Law Summer Session offered participants the opportunity to engage in seminars focused on a wide-variety of topics ranging from the legal implications of the gulf oil spill to international wildlife law to environmental compliance and enforcement, and the relationship between international business and the environment. Additionally, three seminars focused on various topics related to climate change including climate change and the European Union, climate change litigation, and climate change and emissions trading. The Environmental Law Summer Session has also collaborated with the Organization of American States to organize a special seminar on Trade and Environment. Participants were taught by leading practitioners from non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and law firms, including international professors. For information about the seminars and faculty, please visit this website.
Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape Argues Against DOJ and Oil Industry in Hearing on BP Oil Spill Lawsuit
On Wednesday, March 9, Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape, representing the Center for Biological Diversity, will argue in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that all existing and future Gulf of Mexico oil and gas drilling operations, particularly those with some form of existing authorization, must comply with environmental laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act.
In a lawsuit filed July 26, 2010, the Center for Biological Diversity says Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, and the Minerals Management Service have failed to comply with environmental laws when authorizing off shore drilling both before and after the April 20, 2010 blowout of the Deepwater Horizon drill rig which led to the BP Oil Spill, one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. History. “The Secretary has continued to implement an unlawful policy of exempting drilling plans…from any meaningful [National Environmental Policy Act] review,” the lawsuit says.
“This case is about accountability. While the Obama Administration says it has corrected its ways, none of its promises are yet legally binding and dangerous oil drilling by ravenous oil companies continues in the Gulf of Mexico to this day,” says Snape, who is senior counsel for the Center for Biological Diversity and lead counsel on this case. “The American public and the fragile Gulf ecosystem deserve iron clad assurances that a disaster like the BP blowout will never occur again.”
In its lawsuit, the Center for Biological Diversity is asking the Court to declare Secretary Salazar and the Department of the Interior in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act stemming from their approval of deep water drilling and exploration in the Gulf, and to issue an order halting all outer continental shelf drilling operations approved by the Department of Interior after the BP oil spill.
The case, Center for Biological Diversity v. Ken Salazar, United States Secretary of the Interior, et al, is set for a hearing on the motions to dismiss filed by both the Department of Interior and several oil industry intervenors, Wednesday, March 9, at 2 p.m. before Chief Judge Thomas F. Hogan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Snape is an environmental law fellow and practitioner-in-residence at American University Washington College of Law and senior counsel with the Center for Biological Diversity. Previously, Snape was vice president and chief counsel at Defenders of Wildlife for almost a decade. He has litigated both NEPA and global warming cases in federal court, and argued Center for Biological Diversity v. Interior (D.C. Cir. 2008), which rejected the federal government's plan for oil and gas drilling off the coast of Alaska in part because of climate change concerns.
Professor Perry Wallace's Article on the BP Oil Spill and Environmental Justice Issues Published
Professor Perry Wallace's article, Commentary: Environmental Justice and the BP Oil Spill: Does Anyone Care About the "Small People" of Color, was published in the Fall 2010 Volume 6, Issue 2 of The Modern American. The article explores the effects of the BP oil spill on people of color and the ways in which this environmental catastrophe as contributed to the environmental injustice in the Gulf Region. Professor Wallace discusses the power imbalance that is affecting the livelihood of small business owners and people of color, including the United Houma Nation, who's livelihood and culture are largely dependent on fishing in the Gulf. Further, Professor Wallace's article touts the need to spend the time and money to implement the Recommendations made by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in their report, BP Oil Drilling Disaster - NAACP Investigation.
To read Professor Wallace's article in The Modern American, please click here or visit the WCL Digital Commons website.
WCL Students Move on to the Final Round of the Stetson University International Environmental Moot Court Competition
The American University Washington College of Law's team won Best Memorial and placed second overall in the Atlantic Regional Round of the Stetson University International Environmental Moot Court Competition held from January 20 to 21. The WCL team comprised of Laura Drummond, Pablo Forray, and Mina Trudeau also qualified for a place in the finals, which will be held from March 17 to March 20 at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore. There they will compete against moot court teams from law schools around the world.
Professor Perry Wallace Served as Legal Counsel and Helped End EPA's Use of Sulfuryl Fluoride on Food
Professor Perry Wallace served as legal counsel for the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) in its administrative proceedings that resulted in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposing to end the use of sulfuryl fluoride, an insecticide and food fumigant. The US EPA has agreed to announce the end of the use of sulfuryl fluoride in the Federal Register, which will give the public 90 days to comment on the proposed rule. Once the Final Order is issued, the EPA plans to phase out the majority of its uses on food within 90 days and the complete phase out will take three years. Professor Wallace helped FAN achieve its goal of ending the use of sulfuryl fluoride, which is harmful to human health especially the health of infants and children, by providing legal advice. Read here for more information about the EPA's decision to end the use of sulfuryl fluoride.
2010
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law Participates in International Climate Negotiations - Update
Professor David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon will be leading a team of WCL students participating in the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP-16) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico. Abbey Baker, Adam Burrowbridge, Sarah Bury, Laura Drummond, Ashley Gardana, Chris Kyle, Paulo Lopes, Lawrence Palmer, Braunson Virjee, and Winfield Wilson will be part of the Cancun Climate Project. They will be working with non-governmental organizations including the Center for International Environmental Law and the Center for Biological Diversity on a variety of issues related to the future of the international climate regime. Students will be working on issues related to climate finance, reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), human rights, compliance, and technology transfer, amongst others. COP-16 is being held from November 29 to December 10 in Cancun, Mexico.
While at COP-16, David Hunter was interviewed by a reporter from the Norwegian Broadcasting Company who is doing a daily video blog from COP-16. To watch the video, please click here. He is interviewed in the video from 8 December.
Follow the WCL Students at COP-16 in Cancun on Twitter @COPout16_BeLive.
New Book on International Financial Institutions and International Law
International Financial Institutions and International Law co-edited by Professors Daniel Bradlow and David Hunter, with editorial assistance from Program Coordinator Erika Lennon, is now available. This book explores the legal obligations of the World Bank and other international financial institutions, and the role they play in making and interpreting international law. This relationship has not yet been thoroughly explored, thus this book should contribute to the work of the IFIs, Member States, and other organizations and people that work with and are affected by the IFIs' operations. With chapters by expert contributors representing academic, policy, and activist perspectives, this book covers a wide array of subjects ranging from the general principles of international law applicable to IFIs to such issues as IFIs and human rights, labor rights, environment, and indigenous peoples' rights, as well as analysis of the complex topics of consequences for violations of internal policies, impacts on economic policies in Member States, and immunity before national courts. In addition to the two editors, contributing authors include: B.S. Chimni, Charles Di Leva, Steven Herz, Jerry Levinson, Fergus MacKay, Siobhán McInerney-Lankford, August Reinisch, Eisuke Suzuki, Celine Tan, and Jakob Wurm. International Financial Institutions and International Law's detailed and critical overview demonstrates the important responsibilities IFIs have under international law and their capacity to influence international law's development. It is hoped that this book will stimulate thought, debate, research, and increased action on the topic, and will encourage more rigorous engagement between the IFIs and international lawyers. The book can be purchased through Kluwer Law International.
Professor Heather Hughes's Article Honored in the Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review
Professor Heather Hughes's article, “Enabling Investment in Environmental Sustainability,” Ind. L. Rev. 2010, was honored by being chosen for inclusion in the Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review (ELPAR). ELPAR, a joint publication between the Environmental Law Institute's Environmental Law Reporter and the Vanderbilt University Law School, chooses the best environmental law or policy ideas each year in order to make them more accessible to policy-makers and practitioners. Heather Hughes's article proposes an environmental practices money security interest to grant priority to creditors that finance improvements in environmental impact. Her article was one of four articles chosen for this honor.
Environmental Law Society Coffee Hour: Discussion of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf
The Environmental Law Society on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. in Room 500 hosted a discussion of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape, senior counsel at Center for Biological Diversity, and John Dupuy, assistant inspector general for investigations at the Department of Interior, will discuss the environmental NGO and governmental perspectives, respectively, on bringing BP to justice. Dupuy, a WCL alumnus, is leading the civil investigation into the oil spill and is very involved in the criminal investigation as well. See more photos from the event.
Environmental Law Student Attends the Convention on Biological Diversity's Tenth Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, Japan 
This October, Halley Allaire, a third-year student, attended the Tenth Conference of the Parties (COP-10) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan. She attended as part of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) delegation with whom she successfully worked to influence the COP to adopt working papers on IPBES. Halley worked with a network of NGOs from around the world that met every morning to brief each other on recent developments and to discuss various issues and upcoming events, and then would work on tracking issues throughout the day. COP-10 was an on-the-spot learning experience for Halley who got to see first hand how international agreements are developed and witnessed the subtle nuances, for example the hidden issues underlying a certain country's stance on a specific issue, that play in to the negotiations because every country has an agenda and wants certain language to come out of the COP. Halley predominantly worked on IPBES, "international platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services." IPBES would be a science-policy tool existing outside of the CBD, and therefore useful to other international treaties (essentially the IPCC of the CBD). IPBES, which has been gaining attention in the international community, is designed to take political pressures off scientists so information can get out into the world faster and without agenda, thereby better informing policy making. Concentrating on this issue, meant Halley followed it each day to see where and how it popped up in various in-session working papers so that the SCB could convey that information to decision makers and influence them to further IPBES. As a result of these efforts, IPBES now exists in a number of adopted plenary papers, including one entirely devoted to the issue that states that IPBES “should be established” (UNEP/CBD/COP/WG.2/CRP.6). Halley's efforts as part of the NGO network helped push IPBES and influenced the COP's decision to include it in plenary papers. Additionally, Halley got to meet with the U.S. delegation, which was small since the U.S. has not ratified the CBD, including Assistant. Secretary Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones. This meeting allowed NGOs to reach out to the U.S. delegation and for information to be exchanged between the two groups.
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law submits comments on the U.S. Department of State's Review of the U.S. OECD National Contact Point
Director David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon submitted comments to the U.S. Department of State as part of its review of the U.S. OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) National Contact Point. The OECD has Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises that lay out rules addressing the actions taken by multinational enterprises. The U.S. OECD National Contact Point is the government's corporate accountability mechanism. Our comments focused on strengthening the U.S. OECD National Contact Point so that it can better serve communities that are harmed by activities of the multinational enterprises. To read our submitted comments, please click here.
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law submits comments on the U.S. Department of State's Review of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Director David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon submitted comments to the U.S. Department of State regarding the administration's review of its position on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The UNDRIP was adopted by the UN in 2007 and has been adopted by 147 countries. David Hunter and Erika Lennon's comments focused on the U.S. adopting the UNDRIP and how its adoption will help improve policies at the international financial institutions. To read their comments, please click here.
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law and CIEL Host a Reception for Centro de Incidencia Ambiental (CIAM) - Panamá
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) are hosting a reception honoring the Centro de Incidencia Ambiental (CIAM) - Panamá. CIAM is Panamá's leading public interest environmental law organization. Please come and join the American University Washington College of Law and the Center for International Environmental Law in honoring CIAM and its Executive Director, Félix Wing Solís, at a reception on Tuesday, November 2 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. The reception will be held at the CIEL. For details, click here.
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law Participates in the World Bank Annual Meetings
Professor David Hunter, Program Coordinator Erika Lennon, and three students, Melissa Blue Sky, Julia Torres, and Winfield Wilson, participated in the Civil Society Forum held in association with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings held in Washington, DC from October 6 to October 9. The students participated in meetings regarding the environmental and social development policies of the World Bank Group.
Laura Drummond, an Environmental Law Student, Attends the 18th Section Fall Meeting for the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resource Law
Laura Drummond, a third-year environmental law student, participated as a law student scholar in The ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resource Law Summit in New Orleans, Louisiana from September 29 to October 2, 2010. The meeting includes CLE sessions and presentations with government lawyers from within the Obama administration, NGO representatives, policy leaders, academics, and practitioners from around the country. Several sessions will focus on rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Laura was chosen to attend the event as a law student scholar. For more information about the meeting, click here.
Professor Bill Snape Discusses Biodiversity at a Congressional Briefing
On September 29, 2010, Professor Bill Snape participated in a Congressional Briefing entitled "Whatever Happened to Biodiversity?," which was sponsored by Conservation International. This Congressional Briefing, which featured welcoming remarks from Senator Tom Udall, brought together a panel of experts to discuss the upcoming Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the importance of biodiversity, and the future of U.S. legislation regarding biodiversity. Snape discussed the arguments and prospects for the U.S. ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law Launches Podcast on Carbon Issues
The Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law announces the premiere of "Hot Air: Carbon Policies, Politics & Markets," a one-hour podcast featuring a roundtable discussion on carbon issues. The show is co-produced by Bill Snape. The show is co-sponsored with the American Bar Association's Committee on Carbon Trading and Energy Finance. For more information and to subscribe to "The Hot Air Show," visit its website.
Bill Snape to be Honored as a "Hero of the Gulf Coast"
Environmental Law Fellow Bill Snape is being honored as a "Hero of the Gulf Coast" at "Care for Community," a week-long commemoration of the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina hosted by Marc. H. Morial, Warren Ballentine, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Cedric Bailey. Snape will be recognized at a red carpet fundraiser, "Hailing the Heroes of the Gulf Coast," on Thursday, September 2 along with Lenny Kravitz, Anderson Cooper, Spike Lee, and Brad Pitt among others. Snape, who is also senior counsel to the Center for Biological Diversity, has been in the forefront of identifying the legal violations that caused the BP Gulf oil disaster, and is litigating two pending suits against the U.S. Department of the Interior for that agency's role in turning a blind eye to offshore drilling problems. For more information, visit the 5th Katrina Anniversary website.
American University Washington College of Law Earns Green Law School Ranking by Pre-Law Magazine
American University Washington College of Law has been ranked "Summa Cum Laude," as one of the top four Greenest Law Schools by Pre-Law Magazine. Evaluation criteria included law schools' curriculum, campus environment, building trends, faculty, and academic offerings including externships, legal journals, and summer programs. The environmental externship program, which was highlighted as an important aspect of the program, "not only gives students exposure to practical skills and practicing lawyers but gives them a network to find jobs in the process," said David Hunter, American University Washington College of Law was also noted for its partnership with CIEL, its summer program, and AU's commitment to a Zero Waste Policy. View the listing.
Practitioner-in-Residence Bill Snape Speaks about the EPA "tailoring" rule
Bill Snape, senior counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, discusses the EPA's "tailoring" rule and the Center for Biological Diversity's lawsuit about the EPA's weakened final rule, as it relates to large corporations, on E & E TV. Professor Snape also discusses the use of the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas pollutants and EPA's role, as well as the role of legislation regarding regulation of pollutants. The interview also discusses the potential for new environmental legislation being passed by Congress in 2010. View the video.
Professor Bill Snape Discusses the Gulf Oil Spill on Swedish Television
Professor Bill Snape was interviewed on a Swedish news program Rapport, svt. in regards to the Gulf Oil Spill. He discusses the need to accurately account for the amount of oil spilled and the potential ramifications for BP. The program is in Swedish, though Professor Snape's (and other interviewees') answers are in English. View the video.
Professor David Hunter delivers keynote at a conference in Tegucigalpa, Honduras
On Thursday, July 8, 2010, Professor David Hunter delivered a keynote speech on the role of environmental law in achieving sustainable development at a conference held by Instituto de Derecho Ambiental de Honduras (IDAMHO), an ELAW partner, in conjunction with the Honduran Bar Association. IDAMHO held the conference to raise the profile in environmental law in Honduras and to inspire lawyers to work on behalf of affected communities in the country. David Hunter's speech focused on environmental law lessons learned from British Petroleum's tragic Gulf Oil Spill. More than 100 lawyers, students, and community leaders joined with high government officials at this conference to learn about the environmental challenges facing Honduras both nationally and at the community level.
Professor Bill Snape Discusses the Gulf Oil Spill on CNN with Joe Johns
On Tuesday, July 6, 2010, Professor Bill Snape, Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, discussed the tragic Gulf Oil Spill and the role of the Fish and Wildlife Service in allowing the leases for BP's drilling to be approved on CNN with Joe Johns (WCL '02). In this interview, Bill Snape discussed the recent revelation that the Fish and Wildlife Service found no significant risk to wildlife from the proposed drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, this has proven untrue and has brought into question the environmental review undertaken by the Fish and Wildlife Service as well as the Minerals Management Service and other government agencies prior to leasing the seabed for drilling.
View the video.
Environmental Law Summer Session Participants and Professor David Hunter Participate in Consultation with the International Finance Corporation (IFC)
On June 15, 2010, Professor David Hunter and participants from the Environmental Law Summer Session participated in the open house consultation that the IFC held in Washington, DC as part of its ongoing review of its Environmental and Social Performance Standards. The public consultation allowed stakeholders to provide input on the proposed drafts of the Policy on Social and Environmental Sustainability, Policy on Disclosure, and Performance Standards. David Hunter and the Environmental Law Summer Session students joined other members of the NGO community in voicing their opinions about the proposed policies in order to ensure that the final Environmental and Social Policy and Performance Standards serve to protect the environment and people subject to development projects.
Environmental Law Summer Session Brings Participants from 15 different countries to Washington College of Law
The Sixth Annual Environmental Law Summer Session brought legal scholars from around the world to participate in a variety of sessions that took place from June 1 to June 18, 2010. Participants came from many different countries including Portugal, New Zealand, Chile, Panama, Nigeria, El Salvador, China, Mexico, India, Uruguay, Indonesia, Denmark, Colombia, Thailand, and Turkey. These practitioners attended lectures on a variety of topics related to environmental law, including climate change, biodiversity, the intersection of international business and the environment, the intersection of trade and the environment, and the role of international institutions in environmental protection. Additionally, these participants went on site visits to and met with representatives from the World Bank Inspection Panel, Organization of American States, United Nations Environment Programme, and Compliance/Advisor Ombudsman for the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Additionally, they met with lawyers at the Center for International Environmental Law.
Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law Practitioner-In-Residence William Snape Submits Brief to Protect Dolphin-Safe Tuna Labeling from an International Trade Attack
Practitioner-in-Residence William Snape and the law school's Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law submitted a potentially historic legal brief to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, along with Humane Society International. Snape is a member of President Obama's Trade and Environment Policy Advisory Committee and, in that capacity, filed an amicus curiae submission in the matter of United States – Measures Concerning the Importation, Marketing and Sale of Tuna and Tuna Products, which concerns U.S. laws requiring truthful labeling about dolphin protection for American tuna consumers. “The effort to green the World Trade Organization continues with this piece of legal advocacy, which seeks to protect both marine wildlife and seafood consumers,” said Snape, who has been closely involved in the effort to keep tuna dolphin-safe for almost two decades. Snape hopes that this brief will help ensure that tuna is safe for both consumers and dolphins.
Read the cover letter to the amicus brief, and read the brief.
Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law Director David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon Submit Comments on the Overseas Private Investment Corporation's Environmental and Social Policy Revision
In March 2010, Professor David Hunter and Program Coordinator Erika Lennon submitted comments on the draft Environmental and Social Policy of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). OPIC began an Environmental and Social Policy Revision process in January 2010 and accepted comments on their draft policy. PICEL's comments focused on strengthening OPIC's Environmental and Social Policy so as to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of development projects, protect and promote human rights, and help combat the negative effects of climate change, particularly by phasing out the financing of fossil fuel projects.
Read the submitted comments.
2009
Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law Staff and Students Attend COP-15 in Copenhagen, Denmark
From December 7-18, 2009, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held its Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP-15) in Copenhagen, Denmark. Professor David Hunter, Program Coordinator Erika Lennon, and six WCL students: Nicolas Boittin ('10), Skye Bougsty-Marshall ('10), Addie Haughey ('10), Rachel Kirby ('10), Blake Mensing ('10), and Winfield Wilson ('11) participated in the international negotiations. As part of the Copenhagen Climate Project, the team from WCL helped support the work of the Climate Law & Policy Project and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). While at COP-15, we worked closely with environmental NGOs to monitor the negotiations. This included monitoring various issues including ones related to climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, human rights, the Kyoto Protocol, and compliance through monitoring, reporting, and verification. Two years before COP-15, parties agreed to the Bali Action Plan, 
which laid out a plan for negotiations, including topics, and set up two negotiating tracks (one related to Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention and one related to the Kyoto Protocol). Furthermore, the Bali Action Plan called for a two-year negotiating plan, making Copenhagen and COP-15 the location where a new protocol or treaty was to be signed. Thus, COP-15 had the potential to be a major moment in the international climate regime, however it ended up being a major disappointment where civil society was not allowed inside the negotiations and a back-room deal, the Copenhagen Accord, was put forth despite the fact that not all countries were present in the room.
See more pictures of the WCL team at COP-15.
