Environmental Law Colloquium
Earth's changing climate promises to be the defining issue of the 21st century, and how humanity responds may well determine the fate of many nations. In this colloquium, we examine the scientific basis for climate projections and explore the basis for mitigation measures such as carbon taxes and cap-and-trade schemes.
Recognizing that some amount of climate change will occur regardless of what humanity does now, we also study the emerging science and policy of climate change adaptation--how to enact policy measures to adapt to the sea level changes, drought/flood cycles, species migrations, and other climate-related effects that threaten a significant percentage of the world's population. Finally, we examine public perceptions of climate change and the relationship between mitigation and adaptation in shaping those perceptions.
Spring 2025 – Climate Change
Organized by Professor Michael Barsa
All sessions take place on Mondays from 4:30 - 6:20pm in MC 375.
February 3
Aidan Burdick, PhD Candidate, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University
Climate Science and the Earth’s Prehistory
February 10
Film Screening: The Oil Machine: Can We Break Our Addiction?
February 17
Karen M. McGaffey, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP, Seattle Office
Cap and Trade
February 24
Michael R. Barsa, Professor of Practice, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Food Security, Energy, Climate Change, and the Dormant Commerce Clause
March 3
Wil Burns, Visiting Professor, Environmental Policy and Culture Program, Northwestern University
March 10
Kimberly M. Suiseeya, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Environmental Policy and Culture Program, Northwestern University
Native Treaty Rights and Indigenous Peoples
March 17
Earthjustice, Climate Change and US Environmental Litigation.
April 1 (Tuesday)
Alexandra Tarzikhan, Legal Advisor, Southwest Asia and North Africa, ABA Justice Defenders Program
Climate Refugees
April 7
Carrie Zalewski, Vice President, Markets & Transmission, American Clean Power Association
Renewable Energy and the Illinois Commerce Commission
April 14
David A. Dana, Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Climate Litigation Jurisdiction
Spring 2024 - Climate Change
Organized by Professor Michael Barsa
All sessions take place on Tuesdays from 4:30 - 6:20 pm in Levy Mayer 101.
January 23
Pete Puleo, NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern
January 30
Earthjustice, premier nonprofit environmental law organization
February 6
Carrie Zalewski, Vice President, American Clean Power Association (ACP)
February 20
James Marriott, Executive Producer of the film, "The Oil Machine" and co-author of Crude Britannia
February 27
Wil Burns, Visiting Professor, Environmental Policy and Culture Program, Northwestern
March 5
David Dana, Kirkland and Ellis Professor of Law, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
March 12
Kimberly Suiseeya, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Northwestern
April 2
Victor Flatt, Dwight Olds Professor of Law, University of Houston Law Center
April 9
Alexandra M. Tarzikhan, Legal Advisor, Southwest Asia and North Africa, ABA Justice Defenders Program
Spring 2023 - Climate Change
Organized by Professors Michael Barsa and David Dana.
Except when otherwise noted all sessions take place on Thursdays from 1:30 - 3:20 pm in Rubloff 339.
January 26
Carrie Zalewski, Chairperson of the Illinois Commerce Commission
February 2
Dr. Dan Horton, Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University
February 9
Kimberly Suiseeya, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Northwestern University
March 2
Earthjustice, premier nonprofit environmental law organization
March 9
Alexandra M. Tarzikhan, Legal Advisor for Southwest Asia and North Africa, ABA Justice Defenders Program
March 16
Wil Burns, Adjunct Professor, Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) Program and Visiting Professor, Program in Environmental Policy and Culture, Northwestern University
March 30
Victor Flatt, Dwight Olds Professor of Law, University of Houston Law Center
April 6
David Victor, Professor, Co-director, Laboratory on International Law and Regulation, UC San Diego
Spring 2019
Organized by Professors Michael Barsa and David Dana.
Except when otherwise noted all sessions take place on Thursdays from 1:30 - 3:20 pm in McCormick 175.
January 24
Kimberly Gray, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University
January 31
Eric Biber, Professor of Law, Director, Environmental and Energy Law Programs, Berkeley Law, University of California
February 14
Kimberly Suiseeya, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Northwestern University
February 21
David Weisbach, Walter J. Blum Professor of Law, Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
February 28
Joshua Sarnoff, Professor of Law, DePaul College of Law
March 7
Dan Farber, Sho Sato Professor of Law, Faculty Director, Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment, Berkeley Law, University of California
March 14
Alex Camacho, Professor of Law, Director, UCI Law Center for Land, Environment, and Natural Resources, University of California, Irvine School of Law
March 21
David Victor, Professor; Co-director, Laboratory on International Law and Regulation, UC San Diego
Spring 2018
Organized by Professors Michael Barsa and David Dana
Except when otherwise noted, all sessions take place on Thursdays from 1:30pm - 3:20pm in McCormick 375.
January 18
Daniel Horton, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
January 25
Patrick Parenteau, Senior Counsel, Institute for Energy and the Environment Professor of Law, Vermont Law School
February 1
J.B. Ruhl, David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law; Director, Program on Law and Innovation; Co-director, Energy, Environment and Land Use Program, Vanderbilt Law School
February 8
Felix Mormann, Faculty Fellow, Stanford Law School
February 15
Anne Carlson, Shirley Shapiro Professor of Environmental Law, UCLA School of Law
February 22
Holly Doremus, James H. House and Hiram H. Hurd Professor of Environmental Regulation, Berkeley Law
March 1
Kimberly Suiseeya, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
March 15
David Uhlmann, Jeffrey F. Liss Professor from Practice; Director, Environmental Law and Policy Program, University of Michigan
April 5
Keith Woodhouse, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University