Cross-cutting Issues

363 posts

Sabin Center Files Two Amicus Briefs Supporting EPA’s 2024 Power Plant Rules

Today, the Sabin Center filed two amicus briefs—one on behalf of the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and a second on behalf of experts in carbon capture and storage (CCS) science and technology—in support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in West Virginia v. […]

CCS

The Evolving Legal Landscape for Geologic Carbon Sequestration in the United States

  Geologic carbon sequestration—i.e., the storage of carbon dioxide in underground rock formations—has been the subject of much debate in recent years. Many see it as an important tool for combatting climate change. It is, after all, a necessary component of point-source carbon capture and storage (“CCS”) systems that seek […]

A Missed Opportunity to Decarbonize Municipal & Nonprofit Buildings: Section 179D Tax Deduction

Two years into the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the several tax credits that are eligible for “elective pay” are starting to catalyze investment in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and EV charging by nontaxable entities like local governments and nonprofit organizations. Slower to develop is a robust, cohesive response by nontaxable […]

Guest Post: Sabin Center Expands the U.S. Climate Litigation Database with New Carbon Offsets Case Category

As markets for both voluntary and mandatory carbon offsets and credits have grown in recent years, the number of lawsuits involving offsets or credits also has increased. For example, American consumers have recently sued multiple companies, including Delta and Danone Waters (which sells Evian bottled water), for making potentially misleading […]

This Is How We Solve a Heat Crisis

Every summer now feels like Groundhog Day. More heat records broken. Soon, we’ll have more school days canceled (take Philadelphia for example where nearly 30 percent of city schools recently shut down due to lack of cooling systems). We already have more heat-related deaths (in fact, according to a study, […]

Guest Blog: Pioneering Decision from the Indian Supreme Court Recognizing Freedom from the Adverse Effects of Climate Change as a Fundamental Right.

Introduction Though environmental rights have long been recognized globally, they have undergone particularly notable evolution over the past half-century. India, surprisingly to some, has one of the most sophisticated frameworks concerning State obligations and individual protections, including a robust system for guaranteeing the enjoyment of environment rights to individuals. The […]

Climate Change Litigation Turns Toward Animal Agriculture

Even as the geographical and doctrinal diversity of climate change litigation increases, climate lawsuits—whether they seek to hold private actors directly accountable or challenge government policies—continue to focus primarily on fossil fuels. This makes sense given that major oil and gas companies (sometimes called the “Carbon Majors”) are leading contributors […]

The National Heat Strategy is a Strong First Step

On August 14 the federal government released the United States’ first National Heat Strategy. As it stands today, the Strategy is a major step forward for coordinated federal action to recognize and address extreme heat and it confirms that agencies across the federal government are making this a high priority […]