By Michael B. Gerrard The constitutions of more than three-quarters of the countries on earth have explicit reference to environmental rights or responsibilities In the last several years courts in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Australia, Pakistan, Nepal and Colombia have held that these provisions, or similar non-statutory doctrines, require national […]
Romany Webb
32 posts
By Romany M. Webb and Korey Silverman-Roati Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is one of several proposed techniques for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in the oceans. As a result of natural processes, the oceans have already absorbed around 30% of all carbon dioxide emitted by humans […]
This week’s IPCC report is another stark reminder of the need to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid climate disaster. While the U.S. has started down the path of decarbonizing its economy, there remains significant work to do, and many challenges ahead. Some sectors, including certain heavy industries […]
By Romany Webb On Friday, March 19, Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law joined the City of New York, Environmental Defense Fund, and Natural Resources Defense Council in petitioning the New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) to do more to prepare for the impacts of climate change […]
By Romany Webb Enhanced weathering is one of several proposed approaches for removing carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere. It aims to enhance natural weathering processes in which carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reacts with silicate-based rocks, eventually forming carbonate minerals (e.g., limestone). Research suggests that the natural processes can […]
In October 2019, the Sabin Center joined an international research project, assessing the feasibility of offshore carbon capture and storage. Known as Solid Carbon, the project is led by researchers at Ocean Networks Canada, a University of Victoria initiative, and supported by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions under its […]
Achieving the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to “well below” 2oC above pre-industrial levels will require an immediate and dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions which must reach “net zero” around mid-century. This will likely necessitate the use of so-called “negative emissions technologies” that can remove greenhouse gases from […]
By Jennifer Danis & Romany Webb On Thursday, January 21, 2021, President Joe Biden appointed Richard Glick as the new chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Chairman Glick has been a FERC commissioner since November 2017, and has earned a reputation as a strong proponent of action on […]