Student Writing Competition: Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Law and Policy

The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, together with New York Sea Grant, is pleased to announce a writing competition for law students interested in writing on legal and policy issues associated with marine carbon dioxide removal. The competition is being held in connection with a […]

Demystifying President Trump’s “National Energy Emergency” and the Scope of Emergency Authority

It has been just a few weeks since President Donald J. Trump returned to the White House and, wow, what a whirlwind it has been. In the midst of the constitutional extreme event brought on by the administration, this blog post seeks to do one thing: review the emergency authorities […]

Can Plaintiffs Challenge President Trump’s “10-to-1” Deregulation Order? A Look Back at Lawsuits Challenging the Order’s Predecessor

On Friday President Trump fulfilled a campaign promise and signed an executive order (EO) that directs agencies to identify 10 existing rules, regulations, or guidance documents to repeal for each new rule, regulation, or guidance that an agency promulgates. In addition, the EO, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” requires that the […]

Regulating Ocean Regulating Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement in Washington State

Our planet is undergoing significant changes due to climate disruption, with especially severe impacts on the ocean. Most climate action today rightly focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, these efforts are necessary, but not sufficient to meet global climate targets. The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on […]

UPDATED: OMB’s Pause on Climate Grants, Loans, and Other Financial Assistance: Legal Issues and Next Steps for Federal Awardees

On Monday, January 27, 2025, the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum-25-13 relating to a “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs.” The memo references several of President Trump’s January 20 executive orders (EOs), including the “Unleashing American Energy” EO. It directs federal […]

Trump 2.0, Day One: Considerations for Cities and Community Partners

As expected, a newly sworn-in President Donald Trump spent the afternoon following his inauguration signing executive orders (EOs), many of them intended to unwind climate and environmental initiatives enacted by former President Joe Biden. In the EOs, President Trump orders federal agencies and personnel to take certain actions – or […]

A Duty on Public Bodies to Prioritize Climate Action? Coolglass Windfarm Limited v. An Bord Pleanala

Planning law has proven to be a useful tool for climate activists seeking to block or challenge new fossil fuel developments. However, it has also been used to frustrate efforts to accelerate the renewable energy transition by delaying the construction of new renewable energy infrastructure (see here). Ireland has been […]