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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
INFORMATIONAL REPORT TO THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES
Since its report to the House of Delegates in February 2011, the Standing Committee on
Environmental Law (SCEL) convened an international conference with the London School of
Economics on environmental law and policy; conducted ABA-wide coordinating, collaboration, and
brainstorming activities; participated in a hearing held by the Committee on Scope and Correlation of
Work; determined the individual and organizational recipients of the 2011 ABA Award for
Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy; held its Spring business meeting; and
hosted an inaugural meeting with officials from the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association
to explore joint activities.
International Conference on Environmental Law and Policy
On May 23 - 24, the Standing Committee organized with the London School of Economics an
international environmental law and policy conference on “Navigating the New Green Economy: The
Challenges of Climate Change and the Opportunities for Clean Energy.” The UK Environmental Law
Association (UKELA) cosponsored the program, which took place at the London School of
Economics in London, England. The conference was highly successful both for the quality of the
presentations and for the wide international and diverse participation that it attracted. Speakers from
eight countries shared their expertise and perspectives from government, academia, private industry,
and advocacy sectors, and attendees participated from sixteen countries representing four continents.
Sessions covered regulation of and incentives for emerging technologies; energy efficiency; green
banks and sustainable financing; subsidies and trade; carbon labeling; REDD (Reduced Emissions
from Deforestation and Degradation) and technology transfer. The Honorable Anthony Giddens,
House of Lords, and Professor Lisa Heinzerling, former Assistant Administrator for Policy, Programs
and Evaluation, U.S. EPA, delivered the keynote presentations.
Attendee evaluations of the Conference were strongly positive. The Conference was financed through
contributions and registration revenues. The editors of the new Transnational Environmental Law
Journal, Cambridge University Press, have expressed interest in publishing portions of the
proceedings. The Conference also forged special relationships with the LSE and with UKELA. They
have indicated their strong desire to cooperate with SCEL on future similar initiatives as well as on
other types of environmental programming on issues of common concern.
Collaboration, Coordination and Communication Across the ABA
SCEL continued to make available to ABA environmental law and CLE entities information about
environmental law activities taking place throughout the Association. The Committee also hosted a
coordinating conference call in the winter; published and disseminated its annual Guide to ABA
Annual Meeting Environmental Law Activities; and is hosting its traditional ABA Annual Meeting
Environmental Law Coordinating Forum for ABA entities to discuss planned activities, to identify
cutting-edge issues that cut across ABA entities and potential joint efforts to address such issues, and
to discuss environmental law challenges on the horizon. The Committee also facilitated initial
planning for the 2011 Annual Meeting “Hot Topics in Environmental Law” program cosponsored by
SCEL and several Sections and chaired in 2011 by the Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law.
For the Annual Meeting the Committee also cosponsored and helped publicize “Organizing for
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Environmental Justice: Transboundary Lessons and Opportunities,” organized by the Section of
Individual Rights & Responsibilities; and “Lawyering in the Digital Age: Using Technology and
Social Media to Assist Underserved Populations" and "Public Interest Careers for Lawyers: From
Advocacy to Representation to Policy Development and Beyond," both organized by the ABA’s
Public Services Division. SCEL also is cosponsoring a policy resolution developed by the Special
Committee on Disaster Response and Preparedness urging lawyers to regularly assess their practice
environment to identify and address risks that arise from any natural or manmade disaster that may
compromise their ability to diligently and competently protect their clients’ interests and maintain the
security of their clients’ property. SCEL cosponsored and publicized the “6th Annual Homeland
Security Law Institute,” which was organized by the ABA Section of Administrative Law &
Regulatory Practice and offered two environmental law sessions.
Scope Committee Review
At their own expense, two Standing Committee members participated in a Scope Committee hearing
at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Atlanta. Several additional SCEL members, along with a number of
liaisons representing ABA Sections, participated by telephone in support of SCEL. Despite the
continued expressions of opposition to sunsetting or merging SCEL, the Scope Committee after the
hearing drafted a bylaw amendment to sunset SCEL, an action slated for the Annual Meeting. SCEL
continues to address this matter, as it believes that the proposed action would disadvantage ABA
programmatically, financially, and reputationally, both at home and abroad. SCEL has a long 35 year
history in the ABA.
Environmental Achievement Awards
The 2011 recipients of the ABA Award for Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and
Policy are Richard j. Lazarus, Professor at Georgetown University Law Center, and the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Academy of Environmental Law. The Standing
Committee and the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources are jointly honoring the recipients
at a reception at the ABA Annual Meeting in Toronto.
Business and Project Meetings
The Standing Committee held a business meeting in May 2011 in conjunction with its international
conference. In addition, SCEL met with lawyers representing UKELA – including the Vice Chair,
journal editor, and several members of UKELA working groups – to discuss environmental law and
policy issues of common interest and potential joint undertakings. The UKELA representatives
emphasized their great interest in continuing to work with SCEL.
During the past six months, SCEL also has conducted project work through numerous conference call
meetings. Members and liaisons have participated actively and equally in the work of the Standing
Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
Edith Brown Weiss, Chair
August 2011
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