The Guarini Center is committed to advancing policies for a sustainable and collaborative future where all communities can thrive with equity and respect.
What We Bring
The Guarini Center regularly hosts legal scholars from across the globe to participate in its research and conferences, and offers ongoing opportunities for students. The Guarini Center has developed key partnerships with government agencies, nonprofits, civic organizations, environmental justice groups, and other academic research centers. These collaborations are central to the Guarini Center’s ability to produce relevant and impactful work and forge innovative solutions for a just, decarbonized future.
Who We Are
The Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law is a nonpartisan academic research center at NYU School of Law. Over the last three decades, the Guarini Center has established itself as a trusted law and policy expert on the most urgent climate and environmental challenges facing cities and local communities. Through its interdisciplinary academic research, the Guarini Center works with local governments, nonprofits, practitioners, and community leaders to study and develop legal frameworks for cleaner air and water, greater access to green spaces, and healthy, climate-resilient neighborhoods. Throughout its work, the Guarini Center is committed to advancing policies for a sustainable and collaborative future where all communities can thrive with equity and respect.
The Guarini Center was founded in 1993 by the late Richard Stewart, a pioneer in environmental and land use law whose boundless passion for addressing complex environmental challenges inspired generations of students, scholars, and practitioners. Since then, the Guarini Center has been a focal point for faculty and student activities in cutting-edge topics in environmental, energy, and land use law and a leader in legal research and policy problem-solving.
Our Values
- High academic standards: Our faculty, staff, and fellows have published a high volume of academic articles and multiple books on current topics in environmental, energy, and land use We regularly produce white papers on emerging environmental and climate challenges facing cities and local communities and directly participate in state and local policymaking through comments in rulemaking proceedings, amicus briefs, and direct discussions with government agencies.
- Data-driven research and analysis: We partner with leading economists, data analysts, GIS-mappers, and research experts to produce cutting-edge law and policy research on a range of environmental, climate, energy, and land use We offer data-driven research and analysis that can be used to generate real-world policy impact.
- Relationship-focused approach to law and policy: We ground our approach to law and policy development through ongoing relationships with NGOs, practitioners, and government agencies working to address climate change and support a clean and healthy environment for all communities.
- Fostering curiosity and growth: We strive to promote curiosity and growth among law school students, fellows, and scholars interested in engaging in environmental, energy, and land use We believe that an openness to listening and learning is essential for meeting the challenges of the climate crisis and addressing environmental injustices. We regularly hold public and private events ranging from academic symposia to film screenings on new and emerging issues in the U.S. and abroad.
- Commitment to equity and justice: We are committed to supporting the work of environmental justice advocates and others seeking to address environmental racism and other forms of structural inequality that overburden marginalized Centering equity is a core element of the projects that we undertake.
The Guarini Center is a focal point for faculty and student activities in cutting-edge topics in environmental, energy, and land use law. It promotes legal research and policy problem-solving through collaborative work by faculty, students, and research fellows.
Housed at NYU School of Law in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City, the Guarini Center draws on the deep and diverse expertise of its faculty, staff, research fellows, and students. In its academic law and policy research, the Guarini Center has partnered with economists, engineers, environmental scientists, urban planners, architects, public health researchers, animal welfare scientists, and philosophers at NYU.