The last day of the conference began with a panel that analyzed the adaptation needs and strategies for threatened islands. Professor Klaus Jacob of Columbia University presented a risk assessment model using the variables of hazards, assets, and vulnerability. He outlined two approaches to the model: 1) using loss estimates […]
International
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Day 2 of the Threatened Islands Conference focused on the displacement, resettlement, and migration issues that will inevitably ensue from global climate change. The first panel, moderated by Professor John Van Dyke of the University of Hawaii Law School, focused on the larger themes of resettlement and migration. Professor Brad […]
The Threatened Island Nations commenced this morning co-chaired by Professor Michael Gerrard (Director of the Columbia Center for Climate Change Law) and Ambassador Phillip Muller (Republic of the Marshall Islands). Gerrard provided a brief introduction about the inspiration for the conference and thanked the Earth Institute at Columbia University, World […]
By Danielle Sugarman Fellow The glaciers in Patagonia provide Argentina with 70% of its safe drinking water. Yet, alarmingly, this vital resource is facing dual man-made threats; one from the persistent effects of climate change and another, less well known, from the foreign companies who mine for gold under the […]
Gregory E. Wannier Deputy Director One of the most controversial questions to be discussed at CCCL’s upcoming conference, Threatened Island Nations: Legal Implications of Rising Seas and a Changing Climate, will be whether efforts should be made to create a new convention dedicated to climate-related displacement and resettlement activities. Taking […]
Gregory E. Wannier Deputy Director **The following post comprises the official conference narrative for CCCL’s upcoming conference on the legal implications of rising seas for small island nations. More information about the conference is available here; and registration is here. Partial or total fee waivers are available.** Threatened Island Nations: […]
Svetlana German Fellow In February the Australian government announced a two-stage plan to put in place a domestic carbon price mechanism. The Gillard government intends to institute a fixed price on carbon for three to five years (essentially a tax equivalent) before transitioning to an emissions trading scheme in 2015. […]
Brian Bowman Fellow After several unsuccessful bills in prior sessions of Congress, legislative proposals for a federal clean energy standard (“CES”) are once again being discussed in the current session. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), two key Senators from the Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, […]