Conferences and Events
Richmond Law students conduct Copenhagen Climate Change Simulation exercise by videoconference with students in Hong Kong and mainland China
Professor Joel B. Eisen led a “Copenhagen Climate Change Simulation” exercise in October and November with nine universities in Hong Kong and mainland China. Using the Business School’s videoconferencing system, Professor Eisen and students in the Law of Global Warming course conducted two half-day sessions in which teams representing individual nations from around the world negotiated a draft international treaty on global warming. The sessions were timed to coincide with the run-up to international talks in Copenhagen, Denmark in December on a climate treaty. Students in the law school’s Law of Global Warming course represented the United States in the exercise, crafting a unified American position and negotiating with other teams on a draft treaty prepared by Professor Eisen.
In the first session, Professor Eisen gave a keynote lecture titled “From Kyoto to Copenhagen: The U.N. Treaty Process on Climate Change.” Students “met” their Asian counterparts over the Internet and heard several perspectives from Hong Kong on climate change. Over the next three weeks, students created amendments to the draft treaty, caucused by e-mail and through a website devoted to the exercise, and formed alliances. At the final session, negotiators hammered out and approved a final treaty.
Undergraduate students in Professor Eisen’s Environmental Law and Policy course observed the November 13 negotiations and completed papers on individual nations’ positions in climate negotiations.
Environmental Law, Policy and Governance in China
On September 11, environmentalist Scott Moore spoke to a gathering in Richmond Law's Moot Court Room on Environmental Law, Policy and Governance in China. While a Fulbright Scholar in China, Moore had closely observed the ways in which the Chinese government dealt with the formidable environmental problems facing their nation.
Program video (requires Real Player software)
Virginia's Year of Energy and Environment
On February 24, 2009, Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant, Jr. spoke to University of Richmond students and alums in an event co-sponsored by the Environmental Law Section of the Richmond Bar Association. His talk, called "Virginia's Year of Energy and the Environment," outlined Governor Kaine's Energy Plan and Climate Commission and the challenges of moving energy and climate legislation through the General Assembly. The event was held at the University of Richmond's brand new space on Broad Street, URDowntown.
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| (L) Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant, Jr. (R) Secretary Bryant with Merhige Center Director Noah Sachs | |
Energy and the Environment: Obama and McCain Campaign Advisers Meet at School of Law
Environmental policy advisers to presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain discussed their candidate's proposals on October 1 at the University of Richmond School of Law. Details
Climate Change and the Courts: Litigation, Liability, and the Law
A panel discussion was held on November 23, 2007 by Jim Salzman (Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law) and David Hunter (Assistant Professor at Washington College of Law, American University), moderated by Noah Sachs (Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law). Climate change is being litigated in U.S. courts under a variety of negligence and nuisance theories, and in the wake of Massachusetts v. EPA, we will see more of these suits in the future. For conference video, click here. (Requires RealPlayer software.)
Dogfighting and the Law of Animal Protection
On October 29, 2007, Michelle Welch (Assistant Attorney General of Virginia) presented a talk on animal protection laws. In the wake of Michael Vick's plea deal, dogfighting and animal cruelty laws are now front page news. Animal law is one of the newest and fastest growing fields of law. Michelle Welsh discussed the laws surrounding animal protection, specifically the Virginia laws governing dogfighting. For video, click here. (Requires RealPlayer software.)
Preserving the Chesapeake: Law, Ecology & the Bay
On October 20, 2006, the Merhige Center sponsored a full-day conference called Preserving the Chesapeake: Law, Ecology, and the Bay. The conference brochure is available here. For conference video, click here.
Jan Schlichtmann
On November 15, 2006, noted environmental attorney Jan Schlichtmann, who led the fight to compensate victims of drinking water contamination in Woburn Massachusetts, spoke to torts and civil procedure classes at the University of Richmond and gave a public talk entitled "Civil Actions and Environmental Justice," sponsored by the Merhige Center. Schlichtmann's Woburn case was profiled in the 1996 book, "A Civil Action," and the 1998 movie starring John Travolta. A radio interview with Mr. Schlichtmann is available here.
Dominion Power
On March 26, 2007, the Merhige Center sponsored a site-visit to Dominion's Chesterfield Power Station to learn how federal and state environmental laws apply at one of the largest generating facilities in the region. Students from environmental law and energy law classes got a first-hand look at the pollution control equipment that Dominion is now installing under a consent decree with the EPA.
