Environmental Rights – The GW Point Source

March 25, 2024April 18, 2024

Heat Islands and Race in Washington, D.C.

By Dylan Basescu

When it comes to heat, not all neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. are created equal. In denser areas of the city with less wind, less green space, and less tree cover, heat radiates and is trapped at much higher rates that vary the ambient air temperature by up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit. This phenomenon is known as the urban heat island effect. This difference means different energy bills, emissions levels, health outcomes, and quality of life for thousands of residents. The District of Columbia has already noted this issue and implemented some programs to mitigate the heat island effect. However, D.C. can do more to mitigate heat islands in the most impacted communities in the District by expanding permeable surface replacements, creating a legal standard for tolerable heat, and installing new green roofs and roads in new construction.

March 22, 2024April 10, 2024

Transboundary Climate Litigation in the “Global Neighborhood”: An Interview with Andrea Tang

By Fiorella Valladares Meneses

Photo credit: INDECI

Climate change is one of the most pressing and complex challenges of our time, affecting people and ecosystems around the world. As the impacts of climate change become increasingly apparent, individuals and organizations are turning to legal action as a means of promoting environmental justice.

January 25, 2024January 25, 2024

Conquering Peaks, Defying Odds: Saul Luciano Lliuya, “The Hero of the Andes”

By Maria LeLourec

After Dean Randall Abate shared the inspiring climate justice story of Saul Luciano Lliuya, who is Peruvian like us, we became enchanted and did not hesitate to answer in the affirmative when he asked if Fiorella and I could interview him in the deep Andes of Peru. We knew that it was going to be challenging to prepare for this interview due to final exams, the holidays, and the remoteness of the area, but we happily accepted this exciting challenge.

July 28, 2023October 2, 2023

An Introduction to U.S. State Environmental Rights Amendments

By Johanna Adashek

Environmental rights declare the right of people to a certain level of environmental protection, just as civil rights cement the people’s rights to due process or freedom of speech. Environmental rights can be in the form of a law, constitutional amendment, or most recently, within a UN Declaration. This post will focus mainly on environmental rights amendments (ERAs), or those enumerated within a constitution. Further, while dozens of countries have ERAs within their constitutions, this post will focus on ERAs within U.S. state constitutions. This post will review the states with ERAs and different approaches to ERA protections, discuss the utility of ERAs, and describe recent developments involving ERAs.