Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · 4d

💻⚖️🌏 Register for @climatepolicyradar.bsky.social's #webinar on October 8 to join experts from the Sabin Center,
@granthamicl.bsky.social and @biicl.bsky.social as they review global climate litigation. The presentation will demonstrate the new Climate Litigation Database: buff.ly/l86RRwy

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Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · 10d

The US became the world’s leading nation due to its science and technology, and it has now decided for a path of self-mutilation and handing world leadership over to 🇨🇳.
Why? 🙄

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists @thebulletin.org · 10d

As part of the budget proposal for NASA submitted earlier this year, the Trump admin proposed cancelling over 40 missions.

Agency employees have already been instructed to do the prep work for ending these programs, according to a NASA scientist.

More from @jessimckenzi.bsky.social. ⬇️

NASA missions at risk under the Trump administration

Some satellites slated for decommissioning are in the prime of life, and turning them off would be enormously wasteful, in addition to severely limiting scientists' ability to understand the planet.

thebulletin.org

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Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · 14d

⭐⭐⭐We have a special edition of the Climate Litigation Newsletter in honor of the Climate Litigation Database 2.0 Relaunch in partnership with @climatepolicyradar.bsky.social. Huge thank you to everyone who attended the launch event yesterday!
View the newsletter here: mailchi.mp/law/sabin-ce...

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Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · 16d

📗🌏⚖️Catch up on your reading on #climatelitigation by checking out the new #blog posts under the Climate Reparations Blog Series: blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechang... #humanrights #climatechange #internationallaw

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Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · 24d

📰 Trump EPA’s Proposed Revocation of Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding Raises Tangle of Legal Issues, by Michael B. Gerrard (@michaelgerrard.bsky.social): scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scho...

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Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · 25d

📆 ⭕ On Wednesday, September 24, join us as we welcome Rob Bonta, Attorney General of California, for a lunchtime talk at Columbia Law School (@columbialawschool.bsky.social).
💡 More info: buff.ly/CDsUDP5
Register ➡️ buff.ly/9o4uHb0
#ClimateWeekNYC @michaelgerrard.bsky.social

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Aug 27

As I told the NY Times, the Trump Administration's order to halt this mostly-complete offshore wind project is a flashing red light to the clean energy industry. If you have all your permits and have spent billions of dollars and they still shut you down, who will want to invest?
nyti.ms/47yLAR5

With Little Explanation, Trump Throws Wind Industry Into Chaos

www.nytimes.com

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Aug 27

OLLINS: But the Pentagon reviewed this wind project in 2023 & found that there were negligible national security impacts

BURGUM: In particular there's concern about radar relative to undersea drones...people with bad ulterior motives to the US would launch a swarm drone attack through wind farms

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Climate Science Legal Defense Fund @csldf.org · Aug 20

Barely 7 months in and we've already documented almost 100 anti-science actions by an administration that thinks that “[r]esearch programs based on gender identity... do nothing to enhance the health of many Americans.” 🫠

climate.law.columbia.edu/Silencing-Sc...

Silencing Science Tracker | Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

climate.law.columbia.edu

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Aug 11

This is my podcast interview on legal issues with EPA's proposed revocation of the endangerment finding for greenhouse gases.

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · Aug 8

⭐NEWS⭐ #SabinCenter Faculty Director Michael Gerrard joins #ColumbiaEnergyExchange podcast to discuss the future of #USClimatePolicy after the #EPA recsinds its own ablity to regulate #GHG.
Listen here 🔊https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/a-reckoning-for-core-us-climate-finding/

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Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · Aug 8

⭐NEWS⭐ #SabinCenter Faculty Director Michael Gerrard joins #ColumbiaEnergyExchange podcast to discuss the future of #USClimatePolicy after the #EPA recsinds its own ablity to regulate #GHG.
Listen here 🔊https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/a-reckoning-for-core-us-climate-finding/

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Ian Masters @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social · Jul 31

We speak with @michaelgerrard.bsky.social about the need to rename the EPA as Trump's Environmental Destruction Agency following Tuesday's announcement that they plan to eliminate the scientific consensus that underpins the gov's authority to address global warming. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Time To Rename the Environmental Protection Agency the Environmental Destruction Agency

Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

soundcloud.com

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 30

I was happy to talk on ABC News today about how little I think of EPA's proposal to repeal the greenhouse gas endangerment finding. abcnews.go.com/US/video/epa...

Video EPA moves to repeal scientific finding that allows climate regulation

Michael Gerrard, the founder of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, discusses the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest proposal.

abcnews.go.com

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 28

In high school I got into trouble playing Tom Lehrer songs on the PA system. His 1965 song "Pollution" perfectly summarized the conditions then that led to the environmental laws of the 1970s, which Trump is now trying to dismantle. Give it a listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPrA...

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The Guardian @theguardian.com · Mar 9

Mark Carney to be next Canada PM after winning Liberal leadership race

Former central banker will be only second prime minister in Canadian history without a seat in parliament Mark Carney, the former central banker who oversaw the response to financial crises in North America and the UK, will become the next prime minister…

www.theguardian.com

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Allison Good @allisonwgood.bsky.social · Apr 16

DOI orders Empire Wind to halt construction 🔌💡

A letter
To:
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
From:
Secretary Doug Burgum
Subject:
Empire Wind Project Review
Dig ange
In his Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025, Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf From Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government's Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects, President Trump ordered me to conduct a "comprehensive assessment and review of Federal wind leasing and permitting practices.
" Pursuant to that review, staff of the Department of the Interior has
obtained information that raises serious issues with respect to the project approvals for the Empire Wind Project.
The matters identified thus far suggest that approval for the project was rushed through by the prior Administration without sufficient analysis or consultation among the relevant agencies as relates to the potential effects from the Project. In light of these revelations and consistent with the President's instructions, I am directing you to exercise your authority to order Empire Wind to cease all construction activities on the Empire Wind Project. This halt is to remain in effect until further review is completed to address these serious deficiencies. This action is to be taken in accordance with applicable law and effective immediately.
In addition, I am directing your staff, in coordination with other Departmental offices, to continue your review of Federal wind permitting practices with respect to both existing and pending permits.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · May 22

Good cover @economist.com

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 23

The Trump administration is doing everything it can to squelch the development, use and communication of science. He can't revoke physics or chemistry but can fire the physicists and the chemists.

Climate Science Legal Defense Fund @csldf.org · Jul 22

“This isn’t quite at the level of the 17th-century church’s persecution of Galileo for saying the Earth goes around the Sun, but it’s in a similar spirit of ideology trying to squelch science,” @michaelgerrard.bsky.social, @sabincenter.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump fossil-fuel push setting back green progress decades, critics warn

US president using ‘invented’ national energy crisis to justify expansion of coal, oil and gas, experts say

www.theguardian.com

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Climate Science Legal Defense Fund @csldf.org · Jul 22

“This isn’t quite at the level of the 17th-century church’s persecution of Galileo for saying the Earth goes around the Sun, but it’s in a similar spirit of ideology trying to squelch science,” @michaelgerrard.bsky.social, @sabincenter.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump fossil-fuel push setting back green progress decades, critics warn

US president using ‘invented’ national energy crisis to justify expansion of coal, oil and gas, experts say

www.theguardian.com

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 17

Thanks, Joshua. We're very excited about our expanded initiative to draft model laws that states can use to fight climate change. Here is how the Washington Post covered it: wapo.st/3IqUR34

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 16

Thanks, Alessandro. Here is a link to the article: bit.ly/4ln1BNT

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 3

The Model Climate Laws Initiative, a joint project of Columbia Law School's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and Environmental Advocates NY, evolved from our Model Laws for Deep Decarbonization in the US project, and will draft even more state-level model laws. lpdd.org

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 2

The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law is pleased to team with Environmental Advocates NY to expand our work in drafting model laws for state action on climate change. State laws are more important than ever in view of federal retrenchment.

Environmental Advocates NY @greenwatchdogny.bsky.social · Jul 2

BIG NEWS FOR CLIMATE LAW: EANY is partnering with Columbia’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law to launch the “Model Climate Laws Initiative” across the U.S., to give state governments new legal tools to cut greenhouse gas emissions and protect progress.

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Michael Gerrard @michaelgerrard.bsky.social · Jul 2

As our new report documents in a 50-state survey, local opposition has become a significant obstacle to the construction of wind and solar energy facilities. Ordinances, litigation, protests, and other tactics are getting in the way. The report has the numbers.

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · Jul 1

📉 🔋The #SabinCenter published a new report, which finds that local laws & lawsuits targeting #renewables is becoming more prevalent in the US.
Press release ➡️ buff.ly/Bz63zJJ
Full Report ➡️ buff.ly/JWL77KK

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