Do Green Laws Make Red Tape? Rethinking how we build for climate success and equity.

March 4, 2024 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM

Join us for this Emmett Institute event.

Date: Monday, March 4
Time: 12:15pm – 1:30pm
Location: Room 1457

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/fQFEYr9Nz4JaY3BD8

The climate crisis requires a monumental effort to build green infrastructure, high-density housing, and transit. But America is not moving fast enough. That much, the environmental movement can agree on. But the debate over what exactly is standing in our way and how to clear the path to a healthier future remains a subject of debate so fierce that the Atlantic recently called this a “culture war tearing American environmentalism apart.”

Disagreement over so-called “permitting reform” is often about how much community engagement we want to require of projects. Prof. James Salzman and his co-author first coined the phrase the Greens’ Dilemma to explain the tension between old environmental laws and new environmental priorities. Prof. David Adelman studied a decade-worth of federal permits and environmental reviews for energy infrastructure to find that most projects enjoyed streamlined administrative procedures. Jen Ganata works to defend frontline communities from economic and environmental harms. Together, these panelists will help us define the problem and discuss some solutions. So, what do we want? When do we want it? And who gets to decide?

David Adelman, Harry Reasoner Regents Chair in Law at the University of Texas School of Law

Jen Ganata, Senior staff attorney, Communities for a Better Environment

James Salzman, Donald Bren Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law at the UCLA School of Law and UC Santa Barbara.

Lunch will be provided to those who RSVP by 02/29. Please note that lunch is not guaranteed for any RSVPs received after Thursday, Feb 29 at noon