How Attorneys Are Defending the Environment

Many lawyers have made it their life's work to combat climate change and ensure that the earth is sustainable. They make use of their expertise to encourage sustainable practices, hold polluters accountable, and lobby for stricter legislation. They spread knowledge about ESG and sustainability to clients, the general public, and aspiring lawyers. They include climate clauses in contracts and promote environmentally friendly office procedures.

Public Involvement

Legal experts strive to give people a say in choices that impact their environment and well-being. This involves making sure that laws that already exist are upheld and influencing new ones. Government agencies in the US are required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to assess and take into account the environmental effects of their decisions. Earthjustice frequently challenges permits for industrial projects that would negatively impact the environment through the application of NEPA. Public engagement in governmental decision-making, particularly in environmental problems, has long been mandated by the EU, the Netherlands, and the US. Even among countries that are ostensibly striving for comparable public participation goals, their legal frameworks differ in how they specifically organize public engagement in practice. This piece looks at the how and why.

Justice for the environment

Environmental law is a broad field that includes regulations on waste management, chemical safety, air pollution, water quality, and endangered species protection. International environmental agreements are also a part of it, addressing global concerns like ozone depletion and climate change. When it comes to the creation, application, and enforcement of environmental rules and regulations, these laws guarantee that everyone is treated equally and without discrimination. Additionally, they offer chances for significant participation in choices that may have an impact on them. For instance, the law guarantees that the concerns of the local population will be considered when they are against the development of a landfill in the vicinity. In underprivileged communities, where the effects of governmental and industrial activity are frequently felt more strongly, these kinds of protections are essential.

Air contamination

Air pollution poses a serious risk to one's health. The public is protected by environmental laws from dangerous emissions, such as those from power plants and automobiles. They also provide guidelines for keeping an eye on and managing water pollution in order to guarantee safe drinking water. Additionally, they provide rules for the safe disposal of hazardous waste, which endangers public health and the environment. The field of environmental law is constantly changing to take into account new issues, scientific discoveries, and public demands for stronger protections. But maintaining the safety of our planet is what unites everything. Senior attorney Jan Hasselman of the environmental non-profit Earthjustice pursues legal action against businesses and government entities that harm the environment in an effort to promote a sustainable and healthy earth.

Water Purity

Environmental law aims to preserve natural equilibrium, stop the loss of resources, and safeguard public health, regardless of the issue—drinking water, wildlife habitat, contaminated land, or soil. In order to promote sustainable usage, conservation, and development, federal organizations like the Bureau of Land Management create regulations governing vast areas of public lands. The disproportionate impact that environmental dangers have on particular groups is another issue covered by environmental law. By guaranteeing that minority and low-income groups are shielded from hazards like pollution, it advances equity. Sackett, a 2023 Supreme Court decision that established a stringent new standard for when streams and wetlands qualify for federal protection, was the most important breakthrough in environmental law. The justices seem prepared to curtail the Chevron concept, which has allowed government agencies to interpret unclear laws and assist in defending them from legal challenges for the past forty years.

Management of Hazardous Waste

Environmental law includes hazardous waste management as a major component, with legislation addressing disposal, storage, treatment, and transportation. Ignorance of these regulations may result in costly fines and legal action, as well as contaminating surfaces and groundwater. Hazardous waste restrictions are managed by the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States. By supporting the conservation of natural resources and the use of renewable energy sources, these regulations also support sustainable activities. By doing this, overuse of natural resources is avoided, and access to them is guaranteed for future generations. Through the control of air pollution and the handling of toxic waste, environmental laws also address issues related to human health. They can also be in favor of other market-based initiatives that incentivize companies to lower their emissions, such as carbon trading programs. In addition to ensuring that future generations can live comfortably, this helps to slow down global warming.