Guarini Center

Arctic Environmental and Climate Change Governance
2019-06-11 - 2019-06-12 | Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, Njalsgade 76, DK-2300, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Third International TRAMEREN conference seeks to explore environmental governance in the Arctic by examining institutions, actors and interactions in emerging issues in Arctic ocean governance, such as conservation of marine living resources, the use of the marine Arctic for extractive industries, climate change impacts, and maritime transport issues.
Building on the 2016 I TRAMEREN Conference on Maritime Transport and Climate Change and the 2018 II International TRAMEREN Conference on Frontiers in Ocean Environmental Governance, the III TRAMEREN Conference aims to explore pressing environmental and climate-related issues in the Arctic.
Among others, the conference aims to address the following questions:

What are the different institutional approaches to Arctic environmental governance at the international, regional and national level? How do they interact?
What is the role of non-state actors and indigenous communities in Arctic environmental and climate change governance?
What efforts can foster the coordination of the conservation and sustainable use of living and non-living resources in the Arctic?
How does climate change impact governance challenges, and what has been done to support adaptation/mitigation?

The agenda for the conference can be found here. For questions about the conference, or if you are interested in attending, please contact Bryce Rudyk.

Curbing Cars: A Transatlantic Dialogue on New Urban Mobility
2019-09-05 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Faculty Library, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Cities’ reliance on motor vehicles imposes myriad public health and environmental challenges. In New York City, for example, officials estimate that fine particulate matter pollution from motor vehicles contributes to 320 premature deaths in New York City each year, which is approximately the same number as die from homicide. In Germany, the situation is not much better. In fact, approximately 70 German cities violated EU air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide emissions last year and automobiles have been largely blamed for the problem. To remedy the situation, policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic are experimenting with a range of strategies — from bans on diesel engines, to congestion pricing schemes — to encourage new forms of urban mobility. Yet they are encountering a series of obstacles along the way. At this upcoming event, experts from Germany and New York City will discuss options for lessening cars’ grip on transportation and challenges that lie ahead.
1 credit of CLE in Areas of Professional Practice

Keynote address:
Prof. Dr. Claudia Kemfert,
Department Head, Energy, Transportation, Environment, German Institute for Economic Research

Discussion to follow with:
Thomas Matte, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health
Jen Roberton, Transportation Policy Advisor, New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
Danielle Spiegel-Feld, ’10, Adjunct Professor and Executive Director, Guarini Center

This is event has been made possible by the generous support of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany New York

Reforming CEQR: Improving Mitigation under the City Environmental Quality Review Process
2019-12-05
On December 5th, the Guarini Center, in collaboration with the Municipal Arts Society and the Regional Plan Association held a roundtable meeting with experts from across New York City to examine opportunities for reforming City Environmental Quality Review. This workshop was generously supported by the New York Community Trust. The results of the roundtable meeting will be published in early 2020.

Getting to Net Zero? Evaluating Pathways Towards New York State’s Climate Goals
2020-02-03 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, D’Agostino Hall, Lipton Hall, 108 West 3rd Street, New York, NY, 10012, United States
In July of 2019, New York State enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The State’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% within 10 years and 85% within 30 years, with the ultimate goal of net zero emissions. These milestones will require a fundamental transformation not only of the energy, transportation and real estate industries, but also on the level of individual households. Our panel of experts from government, industry, law, and the environmental community will discuss potential pathways for achieving these ambitious goals and the challenges the State will have to contend with along the way.
Please register here.

Speakers (in formation):
Daniel Egan, Senior Vice President, Energy & Sustainability, Vornado Realty Trust
Richard Kauffman, Chairman, NYSERDA; Adjunct Senior Research Scholar, Columbia Global Center for Energy Policy
Richard Miller (’87), Vice President, Con Edison
Maritza U.B. Okata, Partner, Vinson & Elkins
Robert Seber (moderator), Partner, Vinson & Elkins; Adjunct Professor, NYU School of Law
Elizabeth Stein (’03), Senior Manager & Senior Attorney, Clean Energy Program, Environmental Defense Fund

This event is hosted in collaboration with Vinson & Elkins LLP

NYU on NYC: The Future of Our City After COVID
2020-06-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Webinar
Join leading NYU scholars for a webinar on imagining the future of New York City in a post-COVID world.
Please register here.

Speakers
Ingrid Gould Ellen, Paulette Goddard Professor of Urban Policy & Planning; Faculty Director, Furman Center
Robert L. Hawkins, Assistant Dean & McSilver Associate Professor of Poverty Studies, Silver School of Social Work
Eric Klinenberg, Professor of Sociology, Helen Gould Shepard Professor in Social Science, Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge
Paul Romer, University Professor; Director, Urbanization Project; Recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Economics
Carl Weisbrod, Senior Fellow, Marron Institute; Senior Advisor, HR&A Advisors
Katrina Wyman, Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law; Deputy Faculty Director, Guarini Center

This event is hosted in collaboration with The Furman Center at NYU.

Electrifying Buses in New York City: Insights from Québec
2020-06-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Webinar
An international leader in vehicle electrification, Québec has committed to a suite of ambitious measures to decarbonize its transportation sector. For instance, the city of Montreal has pledged to acquire only electric vehicles for public transit beginning in 2025 — several electric buses are already on the road — and Québec has joined CALSTART’s “Drive to Zero” pledge, which aims to transition to a fully zero-emission bus and truck fleet by 2040. New York City has indicated its own aspirations to shift toward electric transit and school buses as well but is still in the early stages of doing so. This event will explore what lessons Québec can provide, in order to further advance the transition to electric buses in New York City.
Speakers:
Marie Bedard, Director of Strategy and Operations, The Lion Electric Co.
Angela Hotaling, Program Director, New York League of Conservation Voters
Ari Kahn, Project Specialist, Electric Vehicle Demonstration Projects, Con Edison
Benjamin Mandel, Northeast Regional Director, CALSTART
Pascal Renaud, Director of Studies, Société de transport de Montréal
Renae Reynolds, Transportation Planner, New York City Environmental Justice Alliance
Ellen Rosen, Freelance Journalist (moderator)
This event is has been made possible by the generous support of the Québec Government Office in New York.

Carbon Trading for Buildings? Insights from the German Emissions Trading Program
2020-09-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Webinar
In the fall of 2019, Germany adopted novel climate legislation that calls for the establishment of a trading program for carbon emissions from the transportation and building sectors. The new law, which has already generated substantial controversy, will take effect in 2021. Pursuant to Local Law 97 of 2019, New York City is considering adopting an emissions trading program of its own. At this upcoming event, experts from Germany and New York City will share insights on the opportunities and challenges of developing carbon trading programs for these sectors, focusing on buildings.
Zoom link to be provided after registration. Please register here.

Speakers:
Dr. Brigitte Knopf, Secretary General of Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (Keynote Address)
Nicole Abene, Senior Legislative Attorney at New York City Council
Austen Brandford, Senior Legislative Counsel at New York City Council
Christopher Halfnight, Associate Director, Policy at Urban Green (Moderator)

This program has been made possible by the generous support of the Consulate General of Federal Republic of Germany in New York

Decarbonizing the Downstate Grid: Three Transformational Clean Energy Projects
2020-09-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Webinar
With the Indian Point nuclear facility scheduled to close next year, the downstate region that has relied on it for so long will be left facing a serious issue in its fight against climate change. Without an acceleration of clean energy and storage projects in the near term, the region risks increasing its reliance on fossil fuel generated power, degrading local air quality and undermining its fight against climate change.
Join us for this unique event during Climate Week NYC 2020 to examine new major clean energy projects that will collectively reshape the downstate grid within the next 5 years and over several decades to come.
Speakers:
Julia Bovey, Equinor
Jennifer Garvey, Orsted
Martin Imbleau, Hydro-Québec
Jamil Khan, Ravenswood Generating
Catherine Loubier, Delegate General of Québec
Danielle Spiegel-Feld, Guarini Center
Julie Tighe, NY League of Conservation Voters (Moderator)
This event is jointly hosted with the Québec Government Office in New York.

The Future of the Regulatory State: In Celebration of Richard Stewart’s 50th Year of Teaching
2021-01-12 10:00 - 18:30 | Virtual Webinar
In fall 1971, Richard Stewart began teaching at the Harvard Law School. In the intervening 50 years, he has written seminal papers in administrative and environmental law, served in the US government, conducted law reforms efforts around the world and become a globally renowned legal scholar.
Join us as we celebrate Dick’s fifty years of teaching and his indelible impact on administrative and environmental law and global governance.
This day-long virtual workshop will bring together leading scholars to examine the future of the regulatory state and the impact on administrative, environmental and international law.

10:00 – 10:20 am
Welcome Remarks

10:20 – 11:50 am
Panel 1- Administrative Law
Moderator: Rachel Barkow (NYU)
Panelists: E. Donald Elliott (Yale), Daniel Esty (Yale), Jerry Mashaw (Yale), David Schoenbrod (NYLS), and Cass Sunstein (Harvard)

12:00 – 1:30 pm
Panel 2 – Environment Law
Moderator: Richard Revesz (NYU)
Panelists: Lisa Heinzerling (Georgetown), Libby Dimenstein (Harvard) (for Richard Lazarus & Libby Dimenstein), and Jonathan B. Wiener (Duke)

2:30 – 4:00 pm
Panel 3 – Global Governance
Moderator: Philippe Sands (University College London)
Panelists: Sabino Cassese (Rome), Kristina Daugirdas (Michigan), Benedict Kingsbury (NYU), and Michael Oppenheimer (Princeton)

4:10 – 5:40 pm
Panel 4 – Applications to Practice
Moderator: Jane Stewart, ’79
Panelists: Annie Petsonk (Environmental Defense Fund), James Tripp (EDF), and George Van Cleve (Department of Justice)

5:40 – 6:00 pm
Response from Dick Stewart

6:00-6:30 pm
Reflections with Justice Stephen Breyer
A Conversation between Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States and Professor Richard Stewart

Back to the Future: Energy Policy in the Biden Administration
2021-02-10 16:30 - 18:00 | Virtual Webinar
President Joe Biden has pledged to pursue a starkly different energy policy than the prior administration. Among other things, Biden has promised to dramatically curb methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, cut fossil fuel subsidies, and put the US on a path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Achieving these goals will require sweeping changes to federal energy and environmental laws. At this upcoming panel discussion, experts from industry, law and the environmental community will assess what steps the Biden Administration can or should to take to implement these reforms and the obstacles that it may encounter along the way.

Speakers:
Bethany Davis Noll, Executive Director at The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law
Margaret Peloso, Partner, Vinson & Elkins
Stephen Richardson, Senior Managing Director, Evercore
Robert Seber, Partner, Vison & Elkins; Adjunct Professor, NYU School of Law (moderator)
Starla Yeh, Director, Policy Analysis Group, Climate & Clean Energy Program, NRDC

This program has been made possible by the generous support of Vinson & Elkins, LLP.

Urban Agriculture in New York City: Assessing Options for Expansion
2021-03-31 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Webinar
The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the value of urban agriculture, especially that produced in community gardens, as many New Yorkers faced increased food insecurity and nearly all sought refuge in outdoor spaces. Yet, despite the great value of urban agriculture, New York City lacks a comprehensive plan to promote it and many community gardens are under threat. At this upcoming event, speakers will assess the state of urban agriculture in New York City and policies that should be developed to help it thrive.
Speakers:
Nicole Baum, Director of Business Development and Partnerships, Gotham Greens
Aziz Dehkan, Executive Director, New York City Community Gardens Coalition
Iyeshima Harris, Program Director, East New York Farms!
Surbhi Sarang, Associate Attorney, Earthjustice
Rick Elbaum (LLM ’20), Board Member, Scenic Hudson (moderator)

Land Use Planning in the Next Mayoral Administration: A Look at Proposed Reforms
2021-04-15 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Webinar
Though often overlooked, New York City’s land use policies fundamentally impact the City’s economy, environmental footprint, and the quality of life for its 8 million plus inhabitants. The City Council has recently introduced a proposal to make sweeping changes to the City’s land use planning processes, including moving towards a more centralized approach. Advocates have called for a variety of further changes to be made including reforming the way the City reviews the environmental impacts of proposed rezonings and major development projects. At this upcoming event, stakeholders with varying vantage points will discuss the merits of these different proposals and the decisions that the next mayoral administration will need to make.

Speakers:
Elena Conte, Senior Fellow, Pratt Center for Community Development
Bruno Daniel Garcia, Coalition Strategist, Communities Resist Inc.
Noah Kazis, Legal Fellow, NYU Furman Center
Eric Kober, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
Marcel Negret, Senior Planner, Regional Plan Association
Spencer Williams, Director of Advocacy, Municipal Arts Society
Adalene Minelli, Legal Fellow, NYU Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law (Moderator)

This event has been made possible through the generous support of the New York Community Trust.

Pathways to Grid Decarbonization: The Generator’s Perspective
2021-06-09 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Webinar
Last month, the Biden Administration announced a target for the US to reduce emissions by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 and to completely decarbonize the electricity grid by 2035. Achieving these targets will require many generators to make sweeping and rapid changes. At this upcoming event, industry experts will share their reactions to the policy shift including their views on the challenges and opportunities for achieving the stated goals.
Register here.

Speakers:
Harold W. Bulger III, Counsel, White & Case
James Larocque, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group
Caleb Stephenson, Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations, Calpine Corp
Christina Scalzo, Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy, Vistra Energy
Michael Shenberg, ’85 Partner, White & Case (Moderator)

This event has been made possible through the generous support of White & Case.

Meatless Cities: A Workshop on How Cities Can Help Lead the Transition to a Plant-Forward Food System
2021-06-15 - 2021-06-16 | Virtual Webinar
By invitation only.
Reducing meat consumption can help to improve human health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as other forms of environmental damage, and limit the suffering of animals raised as livestock. Cities have an opportunity to help facilitate a societal transition towards a plant-forward food system, however, there are uncertainties about the limits of their authority to enact certain policies and open questions about the benefits and drawbacks of different approaches. This workshop will bring together academics, policymakers, industry professionals, and other experts to explore potential strategies that local governments can employ to reduce the consumption of meat within their jurisdictions.
During four sessions over the course of two days, this workshop will explore four types of strategies that cities may turn to: economic incentives, informational policies, procurements policies, and bans, boycotts, and divestments. Attendees may elect to join any one or more of these sessions.
This workshop will take place virtually via Zoom. Please refer to this page for any updates.

Day 1 | June 15, 2021
12:00 – 12:30 PM
Introductory Panel – Breaking Down the Arguments for Limiting Meat Consumption
There are a myriad of environmental, ethical, and health reasons for why cities may be interested in reducing their meat consumption. This opening panel will introduce the project and set the stage for the upcoming discussions by outlining arguments for limiting our meat consumption and explaining why we believe it’s essential to consider the scope of cities’ authority to encourage a shift towards plant-based diets.
Speakers:

Jeff Sebo, Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, NYU
Katrina Wyman, Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law, NYU

12:30 – 1:30 PM
Session 1: Exploring Strategies for Local Action Part I – Economic Incentives
Moderator: Katrina Wyman, Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law, NYU
While no cities or states in the United States have implemented a “meat tax” or other similar charges, several other countries, including Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, have considered introducing such measures, and some recent academic literature has presented them as effective options for reducing meat consumption. This panel will discuss the potential for introducing economic incentives to influence consumer choices by altering the price of meat, as well as some of the concerns and challenges associated with such incentives.

Background Materials

1:30 – 2:30 PM
Session 2: Exploring Strategies for Local Action Part II – Informational Policies
Moderator: Danielle Spiegel-Feld, Executive Director, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy, and Land Use Law, NYU
Cities around the world have introduced policies aimed at raising public awareness about the benefits of limiting meat consumption, including through Meatless Monday resolutions, labels, informational campaigns, and local climate action plans. This panel will discuss the introduction and effectiveness of these informational policies, and their potential for expansion.

Background Materials

Day 2 | June 16, 2021
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Session 3: Exploring Strategies for Local Action Part III – Procurement Policies
Moderator: Adalene Minelli, Legal Fellow, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy, and Land Use Law, NYU
Procurement policies aim to reduce the amount of meat and dairy products that a city purchases, and push for facilities to explore and provide alternative offerings. Many cities have already adopted the Good Food Purchasing Program or similar initiatives, and have introduced such policies in government buildings, schools, hospitals, and other institutions. This panel will discuss the proliferation and effectiveness of these procurement policies and other options for using procurement to effectively encourage a transition away from meat.

Background Materials

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Session 4: Exploring Strategies for Local Action Part IV – Bans, Boycotts & Divestments
Moderator: Jeff Sebo, Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, NYU
Although we have not yet seen any general bans on meat products, several cities have introduced targeted bans on certain types of animal products such as foie gras. Moreover, many cities have mandated emissions reductions, including food-related emissions, and some, such as NYC, have introduced resolutions to divest from agricultural industries for their role in accelerating climate change. This panel will explore the potential for bans, boycotts, and divestments in reducing meat and dairy consumption in cities, as well as some of their potential challenges.

Background Materials

This workshop is made possible by the generous support of The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy.

Decarbonizing the Downstate Grid: Taking Stock of Progress
2021-09-23 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Webinar
In 2019, New York State committed itself to decarbonizing the state’s electricity grid by 2040. This goal may be particularly difficult to meet in New York City, where fossil fuels presently supply most of the electricity that is available. At this upcoming event, experts from government, industry, and non-profits will discuss the challenges that officials face in decarbonizing the City’s electricity supply and the progress that has been made to date.
Register here.

Speakers:
Martine Hébert, Delegate General, Québec Government Office in New York
Susanne DesRoches, Deputy Director, Infrastructure & Energy, New York City Office of Resiliency and Sustainability
Cullen Howe, Senior Renewable Energy Advocate, Natural Resources Defense Council
Peter Rose, Director, Stakeholder Relations New York, Hydro-Québec
Anne Reynolds, Executive Director, Alliance for Clean Energy New York
Justin Gundlach, Senior Attorney, Institute for Policy Integrity

This event has been made possible through the generous support of the Québec Government Office in New York.

Towards Plant-Forward Diets: A Toolkit for Local Leadership
2021-10-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Webinar
As public awareness grows about the health, environmental and animal welfare benefits of reducing meat consumption, a number of cities around the United States have started to take action to encourage a shift towards plant-forward diets. With a new administration poised to take office in New York City, the time is ripe to take stock of these initiatives and consider what further measures New York City can and should adopt. At this upcoming panel discussion, experts from government, academia and NGOs will evaluate the progress that cities have made to date and discuss a potential agenda for advocates and government to pursue going forward.
Register here. Read our new policy brief on this issue here.

Speakers:
Rachel Atcheson, Assistant to the President, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Eric L. Adams
Nilang Gor, Founder, Cultivate Empathy for All; Senior Scientist, Process Development, Catalyst Biosciences
Danielle Spiegel-Feld, Executive Director, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law
Chloe Waterman, Senior Program Manager, Climate-Friendly Food Program, Friends of the Earth
Dan Zarrilli, Special Advisor, Climate & Sustainability, Columbia University

Moderated by:
Dale Jamieson, Professor of Environmental Studies and Philosophy, Affiliated Professor of Law, Affiliated Professor of Medical Ethics, New York University

This event has been made possible by the generous support of The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy.

Small Group Discussion: Propertizing Environmental Attributes
2021-12-02 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Webinar
This event will bring together a small group of experts from academic, industry, and government to discuss Katrina Wyman & Adalene Minelli’s forthcoming article, Propertizing Environmental Attributes.
Check back to this event page for future updates and event-related materials.
By invitation only.

Unpacking the LL97 Carbon Trading Study
2021-12-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Webinar
NYU just released the highly anticipated carbon trading study required by New York City’s Local Law 97. The study is the first comprehensive modelling assessment of the costs and benefits of this groundbreaking law, and of the feasibility of a potential carbon trading program for buildings.
Join Urban Green and the NYU study team for a deep dive on the findings, including that with the right design carbon trading can deliver deeper GHG and air pollution savings and greater investment in NYC buildings citywide and in environmental justice communities. Register here.

Speakers (in formation):
Chris Halfnight, Director of Policy, Urban Green Council (moderator)
Mary Jiang, Senior Analyst, HR&A Advisors
Kasparas Spokas, Associate, The Brattle Group
Danielle Spiegel-Feld, Executive Director, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law, NYU

This event is co-hosted by the Urban Green Council.

Private Equity and Energy Transition
2022-03-08 16:30 - 18:00 | Virtual Webinar
The decarbonization goals set by national governments and international alliances require massive capital, much of it to come from private funds. Private capital, however, does not get invested to achieve policy goals, it gets invested to earn returns. Our panel of experts will discuss the role and opportunities for private equity in the energy transition, the return expectations of investors, policies that facility (or impede) the flow of private capital, and the transition of legacy energy-focused private equity firms themselves in their investment strategies.

Moderator
Robert Seber, Partner, Vinson & Elkins LLP; Adjunct Professor, NYU School of Law

Panelists
Eliot C. Cotton, General Counsel, Decarbonization and Credit, Riverstone LLC
Diana Glassman, ESG Leader & Director-Engagement, EOS at Federated Hermes
Adam Klein, Partner & Head of Climate Strategies, Crestview Partners
Margaret E. Peloso, Lead Sustainability Partner, Vinson & Elkins
Tim Rebhorn, Managing Partner, EnCap Energy Transition

Register here.

This event has been made possible by the generous support of Vinson & Elkins LLP.

Next Generation Building Performance Regulation
2022-03-25 12:00 - 13:15 | Virtual Webinar
In late January, the Biden Administration announced the launch of a new “Building Performance Standards Coalition” of cities and states that are working to reduce buildings’ contribution to global change. If successful, the coalition could pave the way for a new wave of local building regulation. As cities and states embark on the process of designing new policies, it is critical to take stock of how early experiences with building performance standards in cities like New York City and Washington DC should inform the structure of the next generation of policies. At this upcoming event, experts with first-hand insight into the early building performance standards will share their advice for the policies to come.

Speakers:
Katrina Wyman (Introductory Remarks), Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law, New York University School of Law
Katie Bergfeld, Branch Chief, Building Performance & Enforcement, Data & Benchmarking Division, Department of Energy & Environment
Mark Chambers, Senior Director for Building Emissions and Community Resilience, Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President
Jasmine Graham, Energy Justice Policy Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
Frank Oswald, Building Commissioner, City of St. Louis, Missouri
Ben Silverman, Manager, Policy Design and Implementation, Institute for Market Transformation
Marc Zuluaga, Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Cadence OneFive
Danielle Spiegel-Feld (Moderator), Executive Director, Frank J. Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law

Counting What We Consume: How Cities Can More Accurately Count Their Contributions to Climate Change
2022-03-30 12:00 - 13:15 | Virtual Webinar
When U.S. cities estimate the greenhouse gas emissions for which they are responsible, cities tend to focus on the emissions that come from activities within their borders and from generating electricity to meet local needs. This approach undercounts cities’ contributions to climate change because it leaves out the GHG emissions that come from the production of goods elsewhere that cities import for consumption or use in their borders, such as food and construction materials. This means that the existing local inventories of GHG emissions provide local policymakers – and residents – with a partial picture of how cities are contributing to climate change, and thus an incomplete basis for local climate mitigation policy.
The new mayoral administration in New York City has an opportunity to modernize the city’s approach to counting the city’s GHG emissions, and broaden climate policy, by incorporating estimates of GHG emissions from the city’s consumption of goods produced elsewhere. The administration also may have an incentive to update the city’s approach to inventorying local GHG emissions because the mayor stated during the campaign that the city should “track its emissions from food procurement and consumption.”
This panel will discuss the importance of updating local GHG inventories to include emissions from products imported into the city, and how local governments can estimate these emissions. Panelists will include people who have undertaken consumption based inventories for local governments, such as San Francisco, and supply-chain analyses of the GHG emissions from local government procurement on the west coast.

Panelists
Aaron Toneys is a Senior Associate at Good Company, which is based in Eugene, Oregon; he has conducted analyses of the GHG emissions associated with local government procurement as well as other sustainability analyses.
Dr. Chris Jones is Director of the CoolClimate Network at UC Berkeley, where he has led the development of increasingly sophisticated methodologies for undertaking consumption-based greenhouse gas accounting and completed such accountings for San Francisco.
Jonathan Rosenbloom is a Professor of Law at Vermont Law School who published a law review article in 2021 arguing that cities should undertake consumption-based inventories to provide an accurate picture of their contributions to climate change.
Lingxi Chenyang is Environmental Law Fellow at the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University; she has argued that climate mitigation policy should include reducing meat consumption.
Nilang Gor is a co-founder of Berkeley-based Cultivate Empathy for All and a board member of the California Plant-based Alliance.
Ross MacWhinney is a Senior Advisor at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice and an expert in greenhouse gas emissions accounting.

Equitable Electrification for New York City
2022-04-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Webinar
Electrification of building heating systems is expected to play a central role in New York City and New York State’s long-term efforts to decarbonize its building stock. From a climate perspective, this makes sense; buildings will not be able to dramatically reduce their carbon footprints without moving away from onsite combustion of fossil fuels for their heating. But to what extent is beneficial electrification of heating systems in multifamily housing in New York City likely to cause residential tenant utility costs to rise?
This roundtable will bring together experts and stakeholders to explore this issue from legal, economic, and engineering perspectives, focusing on whether electrification can raise energy costs for low- and moderate-income tenants and how vulnerable populations may be protected. Participants will have an opportunity to share their experiences and insights on this important issue, and to provide feedback on the Guarini Center’s findings on the legal protections and risks that currently exist for different classes of tenants, as well as potential paths forward.
This roundtable is hosted in partnership with WE ACT for Environmental Justice. Our work on this issue, including this event, is made possible by the generous support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
This roundtable will take place virtually via Zoom. Participation is by invitation only.
Please check back to this page for updates about this event.

Materials for Participants:
AGENDA
BACKGROUND & DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Agenda

2:00 – 2:10 | Welcome and Framing Remarks – An Introduction to the Project
Danielle Spiegel-Feld, Executive Director, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law; Adjunct Professor of Law, NYU School of Law
Sonal Jessel, Policy Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
2:10 – 2:55 | Setting the Stage – Preliminary Economic, Engineering, and Legal Perspectives
2:10 – 2:25 | Jason Block, Director, Building Operations, Decarbonization, and Efficiency, Steven Winter Associates
2:25 – 2:40 | Alexander Meeks, Director, HR&A Advisors
2:40 – 2:55 | Danielle Spiegel-Feld, Executive Director, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law; Adjunct Professor of Law, NYU School of Law
2:55 – 4:00 | Group Discussion
During this group session, participants will assess the study team’s preliminary findings regarding the extent to which low- and moderate-income households in New York City may be vulnerable to increases in utility expenses as their buildings electrify. Specific questions will explore the following themes:

What are the mechanisms through which electrification may impact tenant utility expenses?
What protections are in place to prohibit cost shifting towards LMI tenants and how well are these protections enforced? What additional protections might be developed?
How material are the risks that electrification could increase tenant utility costs in New York City?

Impact Fees: A New Direction for NYC?
2022-06-14 12:00 - 13:15 | Virtual Webinar
Impact fees are one-time charges imposed on new development as a condition of approval to offset the development’s impact on local infrastructure, services, and the environment. A revenue-raising tool, they are broadly based on the idea that new development should be responsible for paying for a share of the new or additional public infrastructure and services needed to support it, and for the costs the governments incurs in mitigating its adverse impacts on the environment.
Employed widely in other major U.S. cities, New York City does not have an official impact fee policy.
Facing numerous challenges in raising the revenue needed to support its growing population, some have called for the City to explore whether to adopt an impact fee program. Yet, there are open questions surrounding the city’s legal authority to charge impact fees, as well as whether they are an appropriate or viable policy choice.
At this upcoming event, a panel of experts will come together to explore these questions and share their perspectives on this issue.

PANELISTS
Eric Kober, Senior Fellow, The Manhattan Institute, former Director of Housing, Economic & Infrastructure Planning, NYC Department of City Planning
David Garcia, Policy Director, Terner Center for Housing Innovation at University of California, Berkeley
Louis Cholden-Brown, Senior Advisor & Special Counsel for Policy and Innovation, Office of NYC Comptroller Brad Lander
Spencer Williams, Director of Advocacy, The Municipal Art Society

MODERATOR
Adalene Minelli, Senior Fellow, Guarini Center

Register for the event here.

This event is made possible by the generous support of the New York Community Trust.

Electrification and the Inflation Reduction Act: Has the Calculus Changed?
2022-09-19 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Webinar
Has the Inflation Reduction Act altered the costs and benefits of electrifying buildings in New York? For instance, will the IRA accelerate the decarbonization of the New York State grid? And will it materially reduce the cost of installing heat pumps?
With its slew of incentives for renewable energy and heat pumps, it seems very likely that the IRA has changed the economic and environmental calculus, but figuring out what the impact will be is a subject of much debate. At this upcoming event, experts from economics, law, and building science will help unpack the complexity to inform local decision-making.

PANELISTS
Charlotte Matthews, Head of Affordable Electrification, Google
Dale Bryk, Senior Attorney and Director of State & Regional Climate Policies, Harvard Law School Environmental and Energy Law Program
Dr. Sanem Sergici, Principal, Brattle
Jasmine Graham, New York Senior Policy & Campaign Manager, Building Decarbonization Coalition
Jason Block, Principal Mechanical Engineer, Cadence OneFive

MODERATOR
Katrina Wyman, Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law, NYU School of Law

Register for the event here.

Beyond Gas Bans: Expanding Local Strategies for Building Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency
2022-10-12 12:00 - 13:15 | Virtual Webinar
At the federal level, opportunities and incentives to decarbonize buildings expanded in 2022 due to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. However, many municipalities have seen their powers to steer building decarbonization curtailed in recent years. Notably, between 2020 and 2021, 20 states passed laws that limited local governments’ authority to regulate the installation or use of natural gas infrastructure, in the wake of the Berkeley, California’s pioneering 2019 ordinance banning the installation of natural gas infrastructure in most new buildings.
Join the Guarini Center for a conversation with building decarbonization experts to discuss climate- and public health-related policy options that municipalities and their partners can deploy to advance building decarbonization and energy efficiency, despite these state-level laws restricting local governments’ ability to manage natural gas infrastructure. This event will coincide with the Center’s publication of a new policy brief, Beyond Gas Bans: Alternative Pathways to Reduce Building Emissions in Light of State Preemption Laws.

PANELISTS
Alejandra Mejia Cunningham, Building Decarbonization Advocate, Climate & Clean Energy Program, NRDC
Justin Gundlach, Senior New York Regulatory Policy Manager, Building Decarbonization Coalition
Katrina Managan, Director of Buildings & Homes, Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, & Resiliency, City & County of Denver
Yu Ann Tan, Senior Associate, Carbon-Free Buildings, RMI

MODERATOR
Nathaniel Mattison, Legal Fellow, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law

Register for the event here.

The Guarini Center’s work on this issue, including this event, is made possible by the generous support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Urban Biodiversity: A Transatlantic Dialogue on the Role of Cities in Promoting Global Biodiversity Goals
2022-11-02 18:00 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, Snow Dining Room, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Though seemingly at odds with one another, a wide variety of living organisms and habitats exist in and around dense urban areas. With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, and the urban footprint steadily growing, policymakers must think about how to protect the biodiversity that remains within urban areas and how to make our cities more hospitable to wildlife in the future.
Next month, the international community is scheduled to come together to discuss the future of the Convention on Biological Diversity. One of the key items that will be negotiated at the upcoming COP15 is the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. In advance of COP15, join the Guarini Center and the German Consulate General in New York for a conversation with experts from New York City and Berlin to discuss the role of local governments in implementing global biodiversity targets, including the ways in which cities can support biodiversity.

OPENING REMARKS
Bryce Rudyk, Director, International Environmental Law Program, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy & Land Use Law
PANELISTS
Dr. Georgina Cullman, Ecologist, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
Dr. Dustin R. Partridge, Director of Conservation & Science, NYC Audubon Society
Sandra Naumann, Senior Fellow, Coordinator of Biodiversity & Nature-based Solutions, Ecologic Institute
Wolfram von Heynitz, Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany New York
MODERATOR
Benji Jones, Senior Environmental Reporter, Vox

Networking reception sponsored by Deputy Consul General Wolfram von Heynitz to follow.

COVID-19 Policy. This event will be held in-person at NYU School of Law. Advance registration is required for all attendees. All non-NYU attendees will be required to provide proof at the door of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and boosted with an FDA-authorized or WHO-listed vaccine to be allowed entry into the event. Masks are not required.
Register here.

This event is made possible by the generous support of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany New York.

Small Island Developing States & Plastic Pollution: The Road Towards a Global Agreement on Plastics
2022-11-16 12:00 - 13:15 | Virtual Webinar
Plastic pollution has evolved into one of the greatest global threats to humankind and the environment. While its impacts on health, food security, livelihoods, economies, and the wider environment are experienced across the globe, small island developing states are experiencing these impacts on a disproportionate scale, due in part to their unique vulnerabilities and limited resources, and despite their relatively minor contribution to this global problem.
In late November, countries will come together for the first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to begin developing a new global agreement on plastic pollution. Ahead of this historic meeting, join us for the first installment of our SIDS & Global Plastics Series to hear from a panel of experts on the impacts of plastic pollution on small island developing states, and the potential role that the new agreement can play in addressing them.

PANELISTS
Asha Challenger, Lead Negotiator, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
David Vivas Eugui, Legal Officer, Trade, Environment, Climate Change & Sustainable Development Branch, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Dr. Alexandra Harrington, Chair, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, Agreement on Plastic Pollution Task Force
Jewel Batchasingh, Director, Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean)

MODERATOR
Saeed Hamid, Legal Fellow, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law at NYU School of Law

This event is made possible by the International Union for Conservation of Nature through the Plastic Waste Free Islands project, funded with generous support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.

Small Island Developing States & Plastic Pollution: Elements of a Global Plastics Agreement
2023-01-16 14:00 - 15:15 | Virtual Webinar
In late 2022, the international community convened in Punta del Este, Uruguay for the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to begin developing a new global agreement to end plastic pollution. This process has been largely guided by UNEA Resolution 5/14, which, among other things, broadly identifies provisions that must—at a minimum—be included in the final agreement or otherwise considered by the INC. But while there have been growing discussions around a number of common elements, the INC has yet to decide on the specific contents or structure of the new agreement.
Join us for the second installment of our SIDS & Global Plastics Series to hear from a panel of policy and legal experts who will share their insights on the outcomes of INC-1 and explore key issues surrounding the structure and elements of a new global plastics agreement, including potential implications for Small Island Developing States.

PANELISTS
Dr. Alexandra Harrington, Chair, Agreement on Plastic Pollution Task Force, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law
Andrea Volentras, Project Manager, Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
Joan Yang, Senior Officer, Government Relations, Pew Charitable Trusts

MODERATOR
Bryce Rudyk, Director of International Environmental Law, Guarini Center; Adjunct Professor of Law, NYU School of Law

REGISTER HERE

This event is made possible by the International Union for Conservation of Nature through the Plastic Waste Free Islands project, funded with generous support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.

Global Sustainable Cities: Cities and Our Environmental Future
2023-01-23 16:00 - 17:30 | NYU Abu Dhabi Institute in New York, 19 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Over half of the world’s population now lives in cities, and this share is expected to increase in the coming decades. With growing urbanization, cities and their residents face substantial environmental challenges such as higher temperatures, droughts, wildfires, and increased flooding. In response to these pressing challenges, some cities have begun to develop local environmental regulations that supplement national and environmental laws. Experts from around the globe take stock of the policies that leading cities in the global north and south are taking to lessen the impacts of climate change and secure a more sustainable urban future.
This program is timed to coincide with the release of Global Sustainable Cities: City Governments and Our Environmental Future, a new book that is a collaborative effort of NYU’s faculty in New York City and Abu Dhabi. The book includes first-hand accounts of recent environmental initiatives adopted by Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Delhi, London, New York, and Shanghai.

OPENING REMARKS
John Coughlin, Global Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies and Law, NYUAD

PANELISTS
Daniel Zarrilli, Special Advisor for Climate and Sustainability, Columbia University; former Chief Climate Policy Advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio
Elena De Nictolis, Post-Doctoral Global Fellow, New York University School of Law
Harry den Hartog, Professor, Tongji University, Shanghai
Hu Tao, Director, Lakestone Institute for Sustainable Development
Wolfram von Heynitz, Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany New York

MODERATORS
Danielle Spiegel-Feld, Executive Director and Adjunct Professor of Law, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law, NYU School of Law
Katrina Wyman, Wilf Family Professor of Property Law, NYU School of Law

Journey to Net-Zero: The Role of Carbon Capture
2023-02-02 16:30 - 18:00 | NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Faculty Library, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Net-Zero is not Zero. Public and private decarbonization initiatives incorporate carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) into their pathways. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides significant tax benefits to permanent carbon sequestration and net zero pledges by corporations typically rely on some form of CCUS in the future. Yet CCUS technology is still in its infancy, the capital required to move the industry to scale is enormous, and sceptics perceive a lack of transparency and that its use could diminish ambitions to transition away from fossil fuels. Our panel of experts will discuss the status, prospects and challenges of CCUS.

PANELISTS
Adam Peltz, Director and Senior Attorney, Energy Transition, EDF
Alan Alexander, Partner, Vinson & Elkins LLP
Benjamin Dell, Managing Partner, Kimmeridge
Sasha Stashwick, Director, Industrial Policy, Climate & Clean Energy Program, NRDC

MODERATOR
Robert Seber, Partner, Vinson & Elkins LLP; Adjunct Professor, NYU School of Law

Networking reception sponsored by Vinson & Elkins LLP to follow.

CLE
This event has been approved for one New York State CLE credit in the category of Areas of Professional Practice. The credit is both transitional and non-transitional; it is appropriate for both experienced and newly admitted attorneys.

OUT-OF-STATE CLE
NYU School of Law is an accredited provider of CLE in New York State. If you are seeking CLE credit for a different state, we recommend you consult with your state’s CLE Board to ascertain regulations on reciprocity.

REGISTER HERE

This event has been made possible by the generous support of Vinson & Elkins LLP.
