The GW Law Environmental and Energy Law Blog
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.
Continue reading “Transboundary Climate Litigation in the “Global Neighborhood”: An Interview with Andrea Tang”
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.
Continue reading “Conquering Peaks, Defying Odds: Saul Luciano Lliuya, “The Hero of the Andes””
By Johanna Adashek
The Clean Air Act contains what can be considered an “Emergency Provision” or a “Substantial Endangerment Provision” that provides EPA with the authority to unilaterally issue orders to polluters substantially endangering the public health, welfare, or the environment. This broad and versatile power, while not frequently used, has demonstrated the potential to combat ongoing or imminent hazards from further harming the public or the environment. This post will review the legislative history of § 303 beginning with the emergency provision in the Air Quality Act of 1967 to the Clean Air Act of 1970 and two subsequent Clean Air Act amendments. After detailing how Congress has strengthened the emergency provision in Clean Air Act § 303, this post will then recount EPA’s use of § 303 over the past half century.
Continue reading “Clean Air Act § 303 Coming into the Limelight “
By Maria LeLourec
Led by its CEO, Elon Musk, Tesla Inc. has garnered widespread acclaim for its role in revolutionizing the electric vehicle (EV) industry and promoting renewable energy, the reduction of carbon emissions, and a more sustainable future.[1] The company’s eco-friendly image, however, is belied by accusations of greenwashing, with critics arguing that Tesla has exaggerated its environmental achievements to enhance its public image.[2]
Continue reading “Tesla and Greenwashing “
By Vanessa Turk
“Fast fashion” refers to the business model of mass-producing replicas of the latest clothing trends and designs at a low cost and selling them rapidly in stores while the demand is at its highest. This objective of helping consumers acquire the latest in fashion trends comes at a huge environmental price, however. Overconsumption of water and water pollution are two of the most concerning forms of environmental harm that fast fashion imposes on the environment. These impacts from fast fashion need to be addressed effectively and quickly through new accountability mechanisms and possible systemic changes in the fast fashion industry.
Continue reading “Fast Fashion: Polluting our Water Millions of Clothing Items at a Time”