UCLA School of Law > Centers and Programs > Environmental Law > Environmental Law Events

Environmental Law Events

Lunch Talk and Book Signing | Dr. Michael Mann​

The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines

 

Monday, February 13, 2012

12:15 pm – 1:30 pm

UCLA School of Law

Room 1357

 

RSVP Required.  Lunch provided.​





Lunch Talk | David Pettit, Senior Attorney, NRDC

When Your Tap Water Catches Fire, It's Not Good: Remedies for Environmental Problems


Monday, February 6, 2012

12:15 pm — 1:15 pm

UCLA School of Law

Room 1457


Lunch provided.



Talk | Peter Frumhoff, "Building Public Understanding of Climate Risks and Choices in a Distracted Age"


Peter Frumhoff is the Director of Science and Policy for the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Chief Scientist for its climate campaign.  He is one of the country's leading voices on climate science and policy.

Monday, Nov. 21, 2011.  12:15–1:30 pm.  Free to the public.  Law school, room 1457.
 
 

Talk | Joel Reynolds, "Lines in the Sand: Contrasting Advocacy Strategies for Environmental Protection in the 21st Century"

Joel Reynolds heads the Southern California Program of the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the country's premiere environmental advocacy groups.  He has twice been named as California's Environmental Lawyer of the Year.

Monday, Oct. 3, 2011.  12:15–1:15 pm.  Free to the public.  Law school, room 1457



Talk | Dr. Albert Carnesale, UCLA Chancellor Emeritus and Chair, National Academy of Sciences Committee on "America's Climate Choices"

In 2008, Congress asked the National Academy of Sciences to investigate and make recommendations on the steps needed to respond to global climate change. The resulting report, "America's Climate Choices," was submitted to Congress in May 2011. Dr. Carnesale, who chaired this Committee, will discuss key issues addressed and give an overview of the report's recommendations for controlling greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for unavoidable climate change effects. 

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011.  Reception 6pm, lecture 7pm.  Fowler Museum. Free to the public.  

In our inaugural Pritzker Brief, Rhead Enion describes the importance of realigning California's water regulation to better manage groundwater. Read more about the Pritzker Environmental Law and Policy Briefs here


In our seventh paper of this series, we examine the connection between energy use and water use in California. Check out the entire series of Bank of America Climate Policy Papers here.



Present​ation | The Future of Water Quality and Supply in Southern California

The inaugural meeting of the UCLA Water Resources Group will feature a presentation and m​oderated discussion concerning the future of Southern California's water quality and supply. The subject of the presentation​ will be Metropolitan Water District's recently released Blue Ribbon Committee Report

​​​Tuesday, May 24, 2011.  4:00–6:00 pm.  UCLA School of Law Room 1430. 

merchants doubt.jpgNaomi Oreskes, Professor of History and Science at UC San Diego, will discuss her book, Merchants of Doubt.  A finalist for the 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prize, her book relates the history of organized efforts by industry and free market enthusiasts to attack scientific credibility on tobacco health issues, climate change and other issues.   

Monday, Apr. 25, 2011.  4:00–5:00 pm.  Free to the public.  Please RSVP

Sympo​sium | Perspectives on Climate Change, Pollution, and the Clean Air Act

This symposium examines the relationship between Clean Air Act regulation and climate change from legal, principle and practical perspectives.  Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, will be the lunch keynote speaker.

The symposium will be held at UCLA School of Law on Friday, April 15, 2011.  Register now!​ 

New​s | Cara Horowitz on KCET

here.

Talk | Former Congressman Bob Inglis: Bringing America Together over Energy

Former Congressman Bob Inglis (R-S.C.) will give a public talk at UCLA Law School on the topic of conservatives and climate change.  Rep. Inglis recently lost his seat in the June 2010 Republican primary due in part to his support of climate change action.

Monday, Mar. 28, 2011.  12:15–1:15 pm.  Free to the public.  Please RSVP

Symposium | Perspectives ​on Climate Change, Pollution and the Clean Air Act

Symposium presented by the UCLA Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment, the UCLA Evan Frankel Environmental Law & Policy Program, and the UCLA Journal of Environmental Law & Policy.
Lunch Keynote Speaker:
Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, U.S. EPA
UCLA School of Law
Friday, April 15, 2011
9:15 am – 4:30 pm
For additional information and registration, please click here.

Discussion | Career Paths in Environmental Law
Our panelists, from various sectors and styles of environmental law practice,  discuss their own careers and will answer questions about how to get a good start on a fulfilling professional life in environmental law.
Co-sponsored by the LA County Bar Association environmental law section.
UCLA School of Law, Room 1420
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
 
Presentation | What Caused the Gulf Oil Spill?—The Challenges and Opportunities of Investigating the Spill for the President
Lunch lecture by Richard Lazarus, Executive Director of the BP Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling Commission
UCLA School of Law, Room 1357
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm


Symposium | Local Agencies on the Cutting Edge: Emerging Challenges to Local Land Use Authority

Symposium presented by the UCLA Evan Frankel Environmental Law & Policy Program and the League of California Cities.
UCLA School of Law
Friday, February 11, 2011
8:30 am 4:30 pm
For additional information, please click here.
 

California's long-term prosperity is vulnerable to climate change, energy insecurity, environmental threats to public health, and a growing scarcity of key resources.  Governor Brown has a tremendous opportunity to build on the state's past environmental successes, bringing enormous benefits to our economy and public health.

Our Blueprint describes three key areas that Governor Brown must focus on to ensure a healthy environmental future for all Californians.  He must strengthen California's foundation for environmental protection.  He must promote specific initiatives to address climate and energy instability.  And he must advance cost-effective initiatives in traditional areas of environmental concern, such as water quality, water supply, coastal resources, chemical risks, air quality and biodiversity


Talk | Energy and Climate Policy in the Obama Administration: What happened? (And what’s next?)

Lunch lecture by Jody Freeman, former Counselor for Energy and Climate Change in the White House
UCLA School of Law
Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011
12:00 – 1:30pm
Jody Freeman, who until recently served as Counselor for Energy and Climate Change in the White House, will discuss the Obama administration's energy and climate agenda.  The talk will be held at UCLA Law School on Wednesday, January 12, 2011, from 12:00 to 1:30.  Lunch will be provided.  Please RSVP here by January 10, 2011.

A public debate: Proposition 23 and the Future of California's Economy and Environment

Presented by the UCLA Institute of the Environment, KPCC, Southern California Public Radio and the Los Angeles Times, co-sponsored by Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment.   Broadcast on KPCC.

Thursday, October 21, 2010
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
l
UCLA Anderson School of Management


Watch the webcast of the debate here.  

The Climate War: True Believers, Power Brokers, and the Fight to Save the Earth

presented by Eric Pooley

Thursday, September 23, 2010
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
UCLA School of Law, Room 1457

Eric Pooley is the author of the book "The Climate War", and the Deputy Editor of Bloomberg Businessweek. He is the former Managing Editor of Fortune, and Chief Political Correspondent for Time. His book "Climate War" examines the history of the climate change debate in Washington, focusing on answering the question of why, after all these years, we still haven't developed a comprehensive policy.

Book sales and signing will be available at the reception following the talk.

Parking is $10 in UCLA Structure 2. The event is also available by public transit. Plan your trip using  Metroor Big Blue Bu

s.

RSVP to  luskincenter@publicaffairs.ucla.edu by September 20, 2010.

Sponsors:
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
UCLA Law School-UCLA Emmett Center on Climate Change on the Environment and the UCLA Evan Frankel Environmental Law & Policy Program
UCLA Institute of the Environment

Event Partner:
Environmental Defense Fund

UCLA Law and Berkeley Law Launch "Legal Planet" Blog on Environment and Climate Change  


Report | Paying for Pollution: Proposition 26 and its Potential Impacts on State Environmental and Public Health Protections in California

Proposition 26 proposes to expand the definition of a “tax” under California law. As a result of this expansion, some fees and other charges imposed by the state or by cities or counties could no longer be enacted by a simple majority vote of the Legislature. Instead, a 2/3 supermajority vote would be required—the same vote now required to pass a budget or a new tax.

We have taken a careful look at the measure’s language and its impacts on environmental and public health programs in California, and have concluded that Proposition 26 would erect significant barriers to funding many of these programs in the future. This could have substantial and wide-ranging impacts on implementation of the state’s health, safety and environmental laws.



The Los Angeles County Bar Association's 24th Annual Environmental Law Super Symposium
April 16, 2010
"Environment 2.0: Convergence, Conflict, and Collaboration in Environmental Law and Practice"
Speakers include Emmett Center director Cara Horowitz on recent climate change legal and political updates.  For details on panels and speakers, as well as registration information, please go to:
http://onlinestore.lacba.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=ViewCalendarEvent&CalendarEventID=2982

Green Collar Jobs Event
April 20, 5 pm
UCLA Career Center, Third Floor

With the economy as unpredictable as the weather, it is even more important to recognize where opportunities exist. Do you have a passion for the environment? Now imagine having a sustainable career that could leave the planet in better shape than it is today.  
 
Speakers include (subject to change): 
Ben Davis, Program Associate, Environment America 
Cara Horowitz, Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Executive Director, Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA, UCLA Alumna 2001 (JD)
Nurit Katz, Sustainability Coordinator, UCLA
Marcel Porras, Transportation and Planning Deputy, Los Angeles City Council, District 13: Eric Garcetti, Council President; UCLA Alumnus 2007 
Tiffany Saleh, California Youth Representative, Sierra Club
Juana Torres, Associate Regional Representative, Sierra Club 
Sirinya Tritipeskul, Social Media Analyst, UCLA Transportation, UCLA Alumna 2009
 
Career Week is free for currently registered UCLA students. Register at: http://career.ucla.edu/Students/CareerWeek/CW10/Register.aspx
 
Earth Day at UCLA
Thursday, April 22nd
10 am-2 pm
E3 and other UCLA organizations will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with a giant fair happening in Kerkhoff Grand Salon and Patio.
 
India and Climate Change: UCLA School of Law Annual Environmental Law Symposium
Friday, April 9, 2010 -- all day
UCLA School of Law
We brought together NGOs, policy analysts, and legal and political science scholars working both in the U.S. and in India on climate change issues. Panels will focus on promising routes for engaging with India post-Copenhagen; challenges for domestic progress in India on climate and energy; and the intersection of international trade law and climate questions in India-US relations. 

Speakers included:
· Gaurav Gupta, Director, Climate Project India
· Anjali Jaiswal, NRDC
· Deepa Badrinarayana, Chapman U
· Arvind Panagariya, Columbia
· Varun Rai, Stanford
· Armin Rosencranz, Stanford
· David Victor, UCSD
· Jonathan Zasloff,

UCLA

Dani

el Kammen speaks on "Innovation for a Clean Economy"
Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 6pm
The Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Lenart Auditorium

.

Environmental Justice Talk with Lauren Regan, "Green Scare"
Sponsored by the Environmental Law Society and the National Lawyer's Guild
Monday, March 8, 12:15 pm, UCLA School of Law Room 1420
Lauren is director and staff attorney for the Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC) in Eugene, Oregon. Currently her focus is on defending activists prosecuted for environmental and animal defense actions in which the government has added terrorist enhancement charges or brought the cases under terrorism statutes.  She will give a basic over view of these and other prosecutions, commonly referred to as the Green Scare. She will also address the implications for environmentalists and environmental policy that flow from these types of prosecutions. Finally, Lauren will address practical considerations for attorneys navigating civil liberties and environmental cases in light of the Green Scare.

Leading Developments in Chinese Law, including Environmental Law Plenary
Friday, March 5, 11am-7:30pm
UCLA School of Law
Cosponsored by the China Law Association at UCLA
Conference on leading developments in Chinese law and their implications for U.S.-China relations, including speakers on civil society, environmental law, commercial arbitration, and legal reform generally in China.  The Environmental Law plenary will run from 4:45 to 6pm, with Barbara Finamore, Senior Attorney and Director of the China Program for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and President of the China-U.S. Energy Efficiency Alliance. 

Climate Change and Geoengineering
Dr. Wil Burns, Editor in Chief, Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy
February 8, 2010, UCLA School of Law
Geoengineering is the deliberate, large-scale manipulation of Earth’s environment to address the threats of climate change.  It is thought to be one of the few approaches that can successfully counteract global warming.  Dr. Wil Burns will speak about the past, present, and future of geoengineering, with a special focus on the feasibility of currently proposed geoengineering projects and potential governance mechanisms. 

Post-Copenhagen Discussion with UCLA Law School Delegation
Monday, January 25, 2010
UCLA School of Law Room 2442
   The Environmental Law Society presents an informal brownbag discussion with the UCLA School of Law delegation to Copenhagen's Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, led by Prof. Cara Horowitz of the Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment.  Professor Horowitz and the student delegates will talk about their experiences and impressions of the ongoing international climate negotiation process.

Adapting to a Parched Future: Cities, Development, and the War for Water
Friday, November 6, 10:00am - noon
UCLA School of Law
How will the shrinking supply of water for Southern California affect urban and suburban development in the Southland?  How should policymakers, water suppliers, local governments, and developers respond?  What new litigation and other risks do developers and water managers face in this new era?  And what, if anything, does this have to do with climate change?  Come join this discussion with a panel of water experts drawn from business, law, and government.  

Enacting Comprehensive Federal Climate Change Legislation in the Age of Environmental Eclecticism, or We'll Try Anything That Congress Can Pass
Monday, October 5, 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM
UCLA School of Law, Room 1430
Thomas R. Mounteer, a partner at Paul Hastings in the firm's Washington D.C. office, winner of the May 2009 Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award at the George Washington University Law School, and author of the Environmental Law Institute's "Climate Change Deskbook"will  (1) look at some recent scientific studies and analyses of the economic impact of capping greenhouse gas emissions; (2) examine the political compromises that will go into enacting legislation, using the allocation of allowances and agricultural offsets as case studies; (3) touch on carbon-related marketing claims and securities disclosure issues; and (4) close with a look at the likelihood of Senate passage of comprehensive legislation before year end. 

States in the Lead: Climate and Transportation Policy
September 25, 2009
Washington, DC

With Congress debating historic cap-and-trade and energy legislation, many states have already developed innovative programs for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy demand.  This day of workshops will bring together state leaders and others from around the country to explore lessons learned from the state models, to share their strategies with policymakers on Capitol Hill, and to discuss ways that they can continue to lead.  Morning panel on Capitol Hill: "How State Lessons Can Guide Federal Climate & Transportation Policy."  Afternoon panels at Georgetown University Law Center: "How Can States Continue To Lead?"

Sponsored by UCLA Law's Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment and the Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center

Litigating Climate Change from California: Kate Kenealy, Deputy Attorney General, Natural Resources, California Department of Justice
September 14, 12:15-1:30p
UCLA School of Law Rm 1337

Get the inside scoop on climate cases from one of California's leading climate change and air quality litigators.  Ms. Kenealy will discuss recent developments involving the state's efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles, as well as emerging issues involving the interplay between state and federal initiatives to improve air quality.

Climate Change Forum with Rep. Henry Waxman and Sen. Fran Pavley
August 21, 2009, 10am-Noon

UCLA welcomed Rep. Henry Waxman (CA-30) and Sen. Fran Pavley (SD-23) for a public forum on landmark state and federal climate legislation. The Forum focused on the interplay between AB-32, California's landmark climate legislation, and the American Clean Energy and Security Act, recently approved by the House of Representatives.  Distinguished science and policy experts discussed the latest climate research and the economic opportunities arising from climate policies.  View the webcast  here.

Working Conference on Nanotechnology Policy
On April 17, 2009, the Initiative on Sustainable Technology, a newly established joint project of the School of Law and the School of Public Health, co-sponsored a conference to address the explosive growth in the development and commercialization of nanomaterials-engineered particles having a size of 100 nanometers or less.

LA's New Low Carbon Diet: what AB 32 means for Los Angeles
On Friday, March 6, 2009, the day-long symposium at UCLA focused on the response of government, industry and communities in the L.A. region to the new AB 32 scoping plan and coming climate change regulations. Participants explored the specific responses of the region and laid the groundwork for future collaborative initiatives and research that will help all of us in Los Angeles reduce our carbon footprint. Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, and Fran Pavley, State Senator & Author of AB 32, gave keynote addresses.

SB 375 Workshop: Implementing California's New Anti-Sprawl Law
On January 27, 2009, the Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment co-sponsored a discussion of SB 375, which has been called the state’s most important land-use law since the Coastal Act. Recently enacted, the bill alters decades of practice in land use planning, transportation funding, and CEQA law, all in an effort to get Californians to drive fewer miles and help slow global climate change. Key questions about how it will work in practice were discussed. Bill sponsor Tom Adams of the California League of Conservation Voters joined developers, local planners and other stakeholders to examine crucial implementation questions.

Recent Symposia:

2008:

UCLA School of Law Hosts Major Climate Change Symposium

On January 25, 2008, UCLA Law Review hosted a daylong symposium, " Changing Climates: Adapting Law and Policy to a Transforming World." The public symposium, partially funded through the law school's Evan Frankel Environmental Law & Policy Program, brought together policymakers, legal scholars and environmental experts to address the impact of climate change on law and policy.  Articles from the symposium will be published soon in Volume 56 of the UCLA Law Review.

2007:

The  2007 Frankel Symposium: Coping with Global Warming took place at the UCLA School of Law on Friday, March 2, 2007.  This conference was a great success.  The conference  focused on how we will adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change, even as we all work to prevent those impacts.  Articles from the symposium will be featured in a special issue of the UCLA Journal of Environmental Law and Policy.


2006:

The 2006 Frankel Symposium, Preventing and Responding to Catastrophe: The Role of Environmental Law and Policy was held at the UCLA School of Law on April 7, 2006.  Leading scholars, advocates and government officials discussed disaster planning and response, with particular attention to global climate change and to the vulnerability of California's levee system.  Bruce Babbitt gave the keynote address, stressing the importance of land-use planning in ensuring that more housing isn't built in vulnerable areas.   Read about the symposium on Planetizen.com.

Other Events:

Conference on Litigating Takings and Other Legal Challenges to Land Use and Environmental Regulation

On November 6-7, 2008, the UCLA Environmental Law Center co-sponsored a conference on litigating takings and other legal challenges to land use and environmental regulation. It was organized by the Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute and was held at Stanford Law School.  For more information, see the brochure online at http://www.law.georgetown.edu/gelpi/Conf08.pdf.

Lecture on Global Warming Laws by Fran Pavley

On October 29, 2008, Fran Pavley, who was recently elected to the state Senate, gave a behind-the-scenes look at the politics of California's landmark global warming laws. She authored AB 1493, the landmark tailpipe emission reduction bill and the first global warming law in the nation.  Eleven other states have adopted the "Pavley Clean Car Regulations".  She also co-authored California's Global Warming Solutions Act, AB 32.  She has served three terms in the California State Assembly and is currently running for State Senate in the 23rd District.  She is known as one of the most effective legislators in Sacramento--over 70 of her bills and resolutions have become law.  She has been widely recognized for her leadership on the most important environmental issue facing our world, receiving (among others) Scientific American's Top Technology Leaders in Transportation award and, together with Al Gore, the 2006 California League of Conservation Voters "Global Warming Leadership Award."

This lecture was co-sponsored by the Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment, the Evan Frankel Environmental Law and Policy Program and the Environmental Law Society.
Lecture by Jason Burnett, EPA climate change whistleblower

On October 13, 2008, former EPA staffer and climate change expert Jason Burnett lectured on "Public endangerment, unopened emails, and the politics of federal climate policy." Mr. Burnett recently testified to Congress about that agency's denial of California's request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and on the Bush administration's response to Mass. v. EPA.  The lecture was sponsored by the Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment and the Evan Frankel Environmental Law and Policy Program.

Climate Change Lecture by Ken Alex

On September 22, 2008, California Dept of Justice Senior Assistant Attorney General Ken Alex discussed the current state of legal initiatives to address climate change, and the Attorney General's role in pursuing and shaping these initiatives.  Mr. Alex, who received the ABA award for distinguished achievement in environmental law and policy in 2007 for his work on climate change issues, has been a chief architect of litigation-based strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Learn more about the California Attorney General's work on climate change at http://ag.ca.gov/globalwarming/

Seminar on Transboundary Environmental Management

On September 9, 2008, UCLA School of Law hosted an enlightening and inspiring program featuring environmental experts from Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority who have championed the field of trans-boundary environmental cooperation through the model of the ground-breaking Arava Institute for Environmental Studies ( www.friendsofarava.org).    The seminar featured a keynote speech from Dr. Peter Gleick, co-founder and president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security, who discussed the relevance of Southern California environmental issues to the Arava Institute model.   

Energy Straight Talk!  Lecture by David Freeman, LA Harbor Commissioner and Energy Expert

On September 3, 2008, L.A. Harbor Commissioner and author S. David Freeman, whose latest book is Winning Our Energy Independence (2007), gave us energy straight talk -- a realistic approach to solving the awesome threats facing this civilization from fossil fuels and nuclear power and the promising technologies now available to create a truly sustainable life as we know it.  Mr. Freeman has worked for decades in high-level policy positions at government agencies relating to energy and the environment, including the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the New York Power Authority, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP).  See http://www.thegreencowboy.com/for more information about his work. 

Ninth Annual Student Environmental Negotiations Competition

On April 4, 2008, the law school hosted the State Bar of California Environmental Law Section's Ninth Annual Student Environmental Negotiations Competition.  Forty law students from 14 law schools participated in this moot competition.  The problem for 2008 involved a conflict caused by emissions from a local power plant burning different types of biomass.  Students variously represented a community group, the Air Resources Board, or the large agricultural concern that owned the power plant, in an effort to reach compromise on the damage to the community's health and property and to account for the company's tampering with emissions equipment.  Attorneys, mediators, and judges volunteered their time as competition judges.

Lecture by Special Agent Ed Newcomer, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

On March 19, 2008, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent (and former attorney) Ed Newcomer spoke at the law school about wildlife-related crimes and the role of lawyers and law enforcement officials in addressing these crimes.  The Evan Frankel Environmental Law and Policy Program and the the Environmental Law Society sponsored this event.

Panel on Environmental Law Careers

On February 25, 2008, the law school hosted a panel discussion on environmental careers.  Practitioners from diverse backgrounds and practice areas in environmental law discussed their career paths and answer questions about the practice of environmental law and how to succeed in the field.  Professor Sean Hecht will be moderating the discussion.  The program was co-sponsored by the L.A. County Bar Association Environmental Law Section, the Environmental Law Society, the Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, and the Office of Career Services.

Lecture by Steve Fleischli, President, Waterkeeper Alliance

On November 5, 2007, Steve Fleischli, President of the Waterkeeper Alliance (and UCLA School of Law Alumnus), discussed his work with the international environmental advocacy organization Waterkeeper Alliance and the importance of the rule of law to environmental protection.  The Evan Frankel Environmental Law and Policy Program and the the Environmental Law Society sponsored this event.