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The Rights of Nature — Can an Ecosystem Bear Legal Rights?

Law Columbia

In 2020, a federal judge ruled that the Lake Erie Bill of Rights is “invalid in its entirety” based on the premise that the law itself was “unconstitutionally vague” and exceeded municipal powers. The river bears nine rights and can be legally represented by guardians responsible for ensuring that these rights are respected.

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Guest Commentary: An Unexpected Success for Czech Climate Litigation

Law Columbia

The applicants asked the court to order the defendants to take necessary and proportionate measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change within six months. The court argued that each country could be held accountable for its share of emissions and noted the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

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Guest commentary: A ground-breaking judgment in Germany

Law Columbia

On April 29, 2021 the German Constitutional Court (the Bundesverfassungsgericht, or GCC) rendered a ground-breaking judgment, requiring the German government to establish specific plans to achieve its mid-century greenhouse gas emissions goal. (An In 2020 the German population amounted to 1.1% Germany seemingly still aims (hopes?)

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Nuclear Plant Closures And Renewables Increase Electricity Prices & Unreliability, Testifies Michael Shellenberger to U.S. Senate

Environmental Progress

The answer is that there was a lot more generating capacity in 2006 than in 2020. 13] California regulators in 2020 over-estimated the contribution they could reasonably expect from renewables. In 2020, California generated 39 percent of its in-state electricity from them. [15] In 2020, California’s electricity prices rose 7.5

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February 2020 Updates to the Climate Case Charts

Law Columbia

Circuit Declined to Speed Up or Slow Down Challenges to Withdrawal of California Waiver and Preemption of State Authority to Regulate Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The district court scheduled a hearing for April 16, 2020 to consider the defendants’ motion to dismiss or transfer those cases. 4, 2020); California v.

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