Guarini Center

The Generator’s Perspective: The Outlook for Coal, Gas, and Nuclear Power Under Trump
2017-05-02 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | NYU School of Law, Greenberg Lounge, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Thursday, May 2nd, 6:30-8:00pm
NYU School of Law
Greenberg Lounge, Vanderbilt Hall
40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
Please register, here
1.5 CLE credits offered in the areas of Professional Practice category. The credit is both transitional and non-transitional.
Join the Guarini Center for a panel discussion with energy industry experts on the legal, regulatory and market factors affecting the outlook for coal and gas fired generation.
The speakers are:

Catherine Callaway James, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Dynegy
Robert Mancini (’84), Managing Director & Co-Head of CPP-II, The Carlyle Group
Zamir Rauf, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Calpine Corp.
Gary Rygh, Managing Director, Barclays
Michael Shenberg (’85), Partner, White and Case LLP

*The event is strictly off the record and closed to press.*
This is event is being hosted in collaboration with White and Case LLP.
Catherine Callaway James has held the position of Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Dynegy Inc. since September 2011. Ms. Callaway leads Dynegy’s Legal, Ethics and Compliance, NERC and Contract Administration functions. Dynegy is a premiere U.S. independent power producer that generates reliable, environmentally responsible and low-cost energy throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Texas and the West Coast. Dynegy’s 50 facilities generate more than 31,000 megawatts – enough to power about 25 million U.S. homes and are nearly two-thirds fueled by natural gas. Dynegy serves residential, municipal, business and industrial customers in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania through its retail brands, Dynegy and Homefield Energy. Ms. James has been advising energy companies on legal matters for 25 years. Prior to joining Dynegy, she was General Counsel of Reliant Energy and the Gulf Coast Region of NRG Energy and prior to that she held various legal positions with Calpine Corporation, Reliant Resources, Coastal Power and Chevron. Ms. James earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Texas.
Robert (“Bob”) Mancini is a Managing Director and Co‐Head of CPP II. Mr. Mancini serves as Chairman of the Board of Cogentrix. Mr. Mancini is based in New York.
Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Mancini was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs & Co., where he spent nearly twenty years. Most recently Mr. Mancini led the firm’s on‐balance sheet power asset business through Goldman’s wholly owned subsidiary, Cogentrix Energy LLC, where he was CEO. Mr. Mancini was instrumental in Goldman’s entry into the power asset business in 2003. Prior to 2003 Mr. Mancini was a member of the legal department where he eventually became the Deputy General Counsel of the Securities Division. Prior to joining Goldman, Mr. Mancini spent ten years in private practice as a lawyer with Debevoise and Plimpton, where he established that firm’s derivatives practice.
Mr. Mancini received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1984, where he was a member of the Law Review, and received his B.A. degree from Binghamton University in 1980, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Zamir Rauf has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since December 2008. Mr. Rauf previously was interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from June 2008 to December 2008. Prior to his role as Interim CFO, Mr. Rauf was Senior Vice President, Finance and Treasurer at Calpine. In that position, he had responsibility for Calpine’s corporate and project finance, treasury and debt compliance functions and managed the corporate banking, investment banking and rating agency relationships. Prior to Calpine, Mr. Rauf held various accounting and finance roles with Enron North America and Dynegy Inc., as well as Comerica Bank in both credit and lending roles. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business and commerce and master’s degree in business administration-finance from the University of Houston.
Gary Rygh is a Managing Director within the Power and Utilities Mergers and Acquisitions Group at Barclays, based in New York. The team is responsible for strategic advisory assignments in the power and utility sector. Mr. Rygh has over 20 years experience in investment banking and M&A, predominantly in the power and utility sector. Mr. Rygh joined Barclays Capital in September 2008 from Lehman Brothers. Prior to that, he worked at Morgan Stanley.
Mr. Rygh graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Commerce from the University of Virginia.
Michael Shenberg is a partner in the Firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group in the New York office. A recognized leader in his field, he focuses on energy M&A, capital markets and financing transactions for the Firm. Mr. Shenberg has represented financial and strategic investors in numerous transactions involving the purchase or sale of energy assets, including large portfolios, single-asset deals and joint ventures. Additionally, he advises on financings including restructurings, and corporate and commercial matters for energy company clients.

Carbon Pricing: Yes. But How?
2017-09-20 17:00 - 18:30 | NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Snow Dining Room, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Wednesday, September 20, 5:00-6:30pm
NYU School of Law
Snow Dining Room, 4th Floor
40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
REGISTER HERE

Carbon pricing has an important role to play in providing a broad signal to shift the world’s economies in order to reach the objectives of the Paris Agreement. A recent report of the High Level Commission on Carbon Prices highlights the need for carbon prices of at least US$40–80/tCO2 by 2020 and US$50–100/tCO2 by 2030. The next question is how?
Internationally, the carbon pricing community includes advocates for taxes, fees and dividends, carbon markets both linked and independent. During NY Climate Week, Carbon Market Watch and New York University are pleased to invite the climate community for a conversation not only whether to price carbon but also how – both domestically and internationally.
The panel will include:
Jessica Green, NYU Environmental Studies
Barbara Haya, UC Berkeley, Berkeley Energy and Climate Institute
Aki Kachi, Carbon Market Watch
Charles Komanoff, Carbon Tax Center
This event is co-hosted by the NYU Environmental Studies Department and Carbon Market Watch.

We’ll Always Have Paris . . . Right?
2017-09-21 18:00 - 19:30 | NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Faculty Library, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Thursday, September 21, 6:00-7:30pm
NYU School of Law
Vanderbilt Hall 214
40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
REGISTER HERE

Although the Paris Agreement on climate change was signed in 2015 and came into force in 2017, it was only a shell of an agreement. Many details and rules remain to be worked out to ensure that the promise of the Paris Agreement is realized. The United States was a significant force in the adoption of the Paris Agreement under the Obama Administration, but now the Trump Administration has signaled its intent to withdraw. What does this mean for the full development of the Agreement? Will new international players step into the void potentially left by the US? Will we be able to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement without the US?
The panel will include:
Susan Biniaz – Former Lead Climate Lawyer, U.S. State Department
Ambassador Janine Felson – Permanent Mission of Belize to the UN (tbc)
Ambassador Ronnie Jumeau – Seychelles Climate Ambassador (tbc)
Nat Keohane – Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund; Adjunct Professor of Law, NYU
Michael Oppenheimer – Albert G. Milbank Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs, Princeton

This event is co-hosted by the NYU Environmental Studies Department.

Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform and the WTO
2017-09-22 18:00 - 19:30 | NYU School of Law, Furman Hall, Lester Pollack Colloquium, 245 Sullivan Street, New York, NY, 10012
Disciplining Fossil Fuel Subsidies for Climate Mitigation and SDGs: A Job for the Trade System?

Friday, September 22, 6:00-7:30pm
NYU School of Law
Pollack Colloquium Room, 9th Floor
245 Sullivan Street
New York, NY 10012

Recent studies estimate fossil fuel subsidies to $5.3 trillion or 6.5 % of global GDP. Such subsidies are associated with a range of negative effects. Importantly, they boost greenhouse gas emissions and hence further spur climate change- without these subsidies, global carbon emissions would have been reduced by 21% in 2015.
Several political developments over the past few years show an increasing recognition of the need to put an end to these perverse subsidies. The G20 declared in 2009 their intention to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. In 2015, the UN’s Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement on climate change, both make reference to the issue. However, it has proven difficult to move from high level declarations into real action on the ground. Therefore, there is a need to take a fresh look at the issue, and to consider all options on the table for making progress.
Trade policy, and more precisely the World Trade Organization, WTO, could play an important role in this regard. Indeed, the WTO-system is based on binding commitments and contains a mechanism for enforcement and compliance, contrary to the G20 and the UNFCCC. Making use of this might allow for the necessary shift from best endeavour to actual implementation. Moreover, it already has tools in place for notification and for review. It even has a subsidy agreement, the ASCM, as well as sectoral agreements applying to subsidies, such as the agreement on agriculture.
WTO members are indeed increasingly aware of the need to upgrade the system so that it is better adapted to the challenges of the 21st century. The upcoming WTO ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires is therefore a timely opportunity to consider new issues in the sustainable development realm, and to put them on the agenda of the WTO for concrete action.

This event was co-hosted by the Institute for International Law and Justice (IILJ) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD).

Greening New York City’s Homes: A Transatlantic Dialogue with Baden-Württemberg
2017-10-02 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Faculty Library, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
The Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law hosted an event entitled, “Greening New York City’s Homes: A Transatlantic Dialogue with Baden-Wurttemberg.”
1 CLE credit in the Areas of Professional Practice category

Keynote address:
Franz Untersteller, Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection and Energy Sector, Baden-Württemberg
As the Trump Administration rolls back federal environmental regulation, New York City’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80 percent by 2050 have become all the more essential. And while the City has begun implementing policies to advance its climate goals, much more is needed. Of particular note, the City has enacted relatively few policies targeting energy efficiency improvements in small residential buildings, which account for roughly 20% of the sector’s GHG emissions. As local policymakers contemplate policy options for the path forward for these properties, they would benefit from dialogue with counterparts in Germany about strategies that have been experimented with there. The event facilitated the needed dialogue, focusing on policies that have been implemented in a leading German jurisdiction – Baden-Württemberg. Baden-Württemberg has enacted a legally binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by the year 2050 and has devised a number of innovative policies for the building sector to help achieve that end. At the event, we discussed these programs and their relevance for New York City. We also reviewed the current regulations governing building energy use in New York City and proposals for new legislation.
Discussion:
John Lee, Deputy Director for Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency, New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
Danielle Spiegel-Feld, ’10, Adjunct Professor and Executive Director, Guarini Center
Richard Yancey, Executive Director, Building Energy Exchange

This event has been made possible through the generous support of the the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Transatlantic Climate Bridge.

Speaker biographies:
Franz Untersteller, Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection and Energy Sector, was born on 4 April 1957 in Saarland. After graduating from the Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Science with a degree in Landscape Planning in 1982 he initially worked for the Öko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology). From 1983 he was parliamentary advisor to the Green Parliamentary Group in the Baden-Württemberg State Parliament before being elected to the Parliament himself in 2006. From 2006 to 2011 he also acted as deputy chairman of the Green Parliamentary Group.
Franz Untersteller has been Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector in Baden-Württemberg since 2011.
John Lee is the Deputy Director for Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. In this capacity, he is leading the city’s policy and legislative efforts driving the built environment to unprecedented energy efficiency standards towards the City’s ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by year 2050. John’s previous public sector service was with the NYC Department of Buildings as Senior Architect in the codes development division and with the Department of City Planning where he served as an Urban Designer. During his early career, John was Art Director for a web development firm consulting to a suite of clients in the energy sector and was also a design architect in private sector architecture firms working on institutional buildings, transit facilities, and master plans for universities. He is a licensed architect and a graduate of Rice University and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
Richard C. Yancey, AIA, LEED AP, is the founding Executive Director of the Building Energy Exchange, Inc. (BEEx), an independent, nonprofit organization that connects the New York real estate and design communities to energy and lighting efficiency solutions through education, exhibitions, technology demonstrations, and research, at their resource center in downtown Manhattan.
The work of BEEx has been featured widely, including the Wall Street Journal, Crain’s, Capital New York, and NY1; and Richard was named one of the Top Ten New York Energy Entrepreneurs (2015), and Top Ten Cleantech Leaders of New York (2013), by Breaking Energy.
Prior to BEEx, Richard has over twenty years of experience as an practicing architect, in Seattle and New York, leading a diverse array of commercial, institutional, and residential projects. He has lectured and published widely, and sits on the the New York City Mayor’s Climate Action Plan Technical Working Group. Richard received his Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

Incorporating State Public Policy Goals in Wholesale Electricity Markets
2017-10-16 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, Furman Hall, Lester Pollack Colloquium, 245 Sullivan Street, New York, NY, 10012
The Guarini Center and a group of leading energy policy experts discussed “Incorporating State Public Policy Goals in Wholesale Electricity Markets.” Panelists examined a range of policy options for advancing state objectives, including transitioning towards low-carbon generation resources, and intersections with federal law.
1.5 CLE credits offered in the areas of Professional Practice category. The credit is both transitional and non-transitional.

The speakers:
Michael Gergen (’92), Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP and Adjunct Professor of Law, NYU Law (introductory remarks)
Jane Quin, Director, Energy Markets Policy Group, Con Edison
David Schwartz, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP (moderator)
Abraham Silverman, Assistant General Counsel, NRG Energy
Scott Weiner, Deputy for Markets and Innovation, New York State Department of Public Service

This event was sponsored by Latham & Watkins LLP.

Speaker bios:
Michael Gergen (’92), a partner in Latham & Watkins LLP’s Washington, D.C. office, is a member of the Energy Regulatory and Markets Practice as well as the Project Finance Practice.
Mr. Gergen has extensive experience developing practical applications of economics, finance and regulatory law to assist clients involved in the electric, natural gas and other network industries in the United States and internationally. Mr. Gergen represents entities involved in electric generation, transmission and distribution, natural gas transportation, storage and distribution, electric and natural gas marketing and trading, and finance, as well as international governments and financial institutions. Mr. Gergen also assists clients regarding federal and state financing support and incentive programs for clean energy technologies, products and services.
Mr. Gergen has assisted clients on a wide range of transactional, controversy, policy and legislative matters and has represented clients both in commercial negotiations and before various federal and state regulatory agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and various state public utility commissions, and numerous federal and state courts and arbitral bodies. Mr. Gergen also has served as an economist for an investor-owned public utility, as well as an economic consultant for a state energy commission.
Mr. Gergen is listed as a leading energy attorney in Who’s Who Legal and in Chambers USA, which describes him as having “developed a positive reputation in the industry as ‘a quick, clever and creative lawyer.’” He has given a variety of speeches on energy regulatory and policy matters. He is a member of the Federal Energy Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Mr. Gergen was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2012 as a recommended attorney in Energy Law. Mr. Gergen is an Adjunct Professor of Law and is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Institute for Policy Integrity at the New York University School of Law.
David Schwartz, is a partner in the Finance Department of Latham & Watkins LLP’s Washington, D.C. office. He serves as global Chair of the Energy Regulatory and Markets Practice, is a member of the Project Finance Group, and is Co-chair of the firm’s Global Energy – Power Industry Group. He has extensive experience representing entities involved in electric generation, transmission and distribution, electric and gas marketing and trading, and gas transportation and distribution.
Mr. Schwartz has been active in the formation of the developing electricity markets in the United States; led transactional and regulatory teams in mergers and acquisitions and divestitures of energy companies and assets; litigated contract, rate and transmission access disputes; and drafted federal and state energy legislation. He also has extensive experience in negotiating power purchase and sale agreements, electric transmission agreements, natural gas transportation agreements, energy management agreements, and electric and gas interconnection agreements.
Mr. Schwartz regularly advises clients on energy matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), various state public utility commissions, the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Department of Energy (DOE).
Mr. Schwartz is consistently recognized as a top energy attorney in Corporate Counsel Magazine, Best Lawyers in America, Who’s Who Legal: Energy, Chambers USA, Chambers Global, and The Legal 500 US, which recently selected him as a “Leading Lawyer” for his transactional energy practice.
Mr. Schwartz is a member of the American Bar Association and has held leadership positions in the Energy Bar Association.
Abraham Silverman, heads the regulatory affairs group and is chief regulatory counsel for NRG Energy, Inc., an independent power producer with over 50 GW of generation nationwide, and one of the largest solar and wind portfolios in the word. NRG, through its various retail affiliates, serves over 3 million retail customers in 16 states. Abe counsels the company on regulatory strategy and compliance issues, and does extensive wholesale and retail market design work in each of the organized markets, as well as in the non-organized markets. Prior to joining NRG in 2008, Abe served at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of General Counsel for over three years, and was an associate at the law firm of Perkins Coie, based in Washington, DC. Abe graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Geology and a B.A. in English, and then received his Juris Doctor from The George Washington University School of Law.

Scott Weiner is the Deputy for Markets and Innovation at the New York State Department of Public Service, which has a broad mandate to ensure access to safe, reliable utility service at just and reasonable rates. In this role, Scott is responsible for leading the Department’s staff activities in support of New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative. Scott joined the Department after a distinguished career as an executive, educator and public official.
Scott has also served as a senior executive in a number of private and public corporations including as President of Ballard Generation Systems, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Petra Solar, Senior Vice President for Market Structure and Regulatory Affairs at Sithe Energies and Vice President for Corporate Development at General Public Utilities. Mr. Weiner has previously served on the board of many industry associations and non-governmental organizations including as Chair of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Electric Power Supply Association, the National Hydrogen Association and the Center for Sustainable Development in the Americas.
Scott has served in a number of senior positions in New Jersey government. These include appointments as the Executive Director of the N.J. Election Law Enforcement Commission, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Commissioner of the
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, Chief Counsel to former New Jersey Governor Jim Florio and as a Special Assistant Attorney General and Special Counsel to former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. He also served as a Borough Councilman and as President of the Borough Council in Fort Lee, NJ.
Scott is the founding Director of the Center for Energy, Economic and Environmental Policy at Rutgers University and has served as a Senior Policy Fellow and Faculty Fellow at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

Clean, Resilient Power for Caribbean States
2017-10-31 | NY
On October 31st, the Guarini Center hosted an event in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as Tesla Inc., to examine opportunities and obstacles to deploying renewable energy powered microgrids in the Caribbean region. The workshop brought together experts from international development organizations, non-profit institutions, academia, Tesla, and the governments of four Caribbean states. An agenda for the workshop can be found here.

Tackling Traffic: Options for Reducing Vehicular Traffic & Emissions in NYC
2017-11-07 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, Furman Hall, Lester Pollack Colloquium, 245 Sullivan Street, New York, NY, 10012
The Guarini Center and the NYU Environmental Law Journal hosted an event entitled, “Tackling Traffic: Options for Reducing Vehicular Traffic and Emissions on New York City Streets.”
As New York City’s subway system continues to be in crisis, many have questioned how transportation can be improved in order to get commuters moving as efficiently as possible. In 2008, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg suggested a congestion pricing scheme, aimed at easing traffic and raising money for the city’s aging infrastructure, which never made it to a vote. In August 2017, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the “time has come” for resurrecting a congestion pricing scheme and creating a proposal substantially different from Bloomberg’s. Locally, Move NY, a grassroots campaign seeking to build support for a master transportation plan for the New York metropolitan area, has released its own proposal — the Move NY Fair Plan, focusing on providing toll equity, reducing congestion, boosting the regional economy, and raising signficant revenues for high-priority road, bridge, and transit projects.
This event facilitated the needed dialogue concerning vehicular traffic and the public health consequences of vehicular emissions, as well as the possible outlets toward reducing them, including congestion pricing and so-called low emission zones. We looked at this issue through many lenses, including: legal, environmental, political and economic.
Moderator:
Katrina Wyman, Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law, New York University School of Law
Speakers:
Ashwini Chhabra, Head of Policy Development, Uber
Iyad Kheirbek, Director of Air Quality Program, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Sam Schwartz, President, CEO & Founder, Sam Schwartz Engineering
Elizabeth Stein, Senior Manager of New York Clean Energy Law & Policy Program, Environmental Defense Fund

Building Energy Disclosure: Policy Trends and Market Impacts
2017-11-13 08:30 - 09:45 | NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Snow Dining Room, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
The Guarini Center and a group of leading experts had a discussion on “Building Energy Disclosure: Policy Trends and Market Impacts.”
In 2009, New York City enacted a pioneering energy disclosure policy, Local Law 84, which requires large buildings to submit annual energy benchmarking data. Today, a number of stakeholders have begun to consider how Local Law 84 might be updated and the City Council introduced legislation on the subject this past summer. At this upcoming breakfast meeting, leading industry experts will consider the impact that energy disclosure regulations in New York City and elsewhere have had and how these policies may be reformed.

The speakers:
Daniel Egan, Vice President, Head of Sustainability and Utilities, Vornado Realty Trust
Helen Gurfel, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute Greenprint Center for Building Performance
Brad A. Molotsky, Partner, LEED AP-OM, Duane Morris LLP
Dana Schneider, Managing Director, JLL

This event is hosted in collaboration with:

Speakers biographies:

Daniel Egan is Vice President of Sustainability and Utilities for Vornado Realty Trust. Dan’s sustainability program combines environmental, fiscal and social responsibility for Vornado’s national real estate portfolio.
Special projects under Dan’s jurisdiction include all LEED and Energy Star affiliated programs, and he also acts as Vornado’s advocate in New York for all NYSERDA and Con Edison energy incentive programs. Of particular importance is Dan’s managing of Vornado’s Energy Efficiency Capital Improvement fund, which executes projects with measurable energy reduction targets. The projects are part of a retrofit cycle for Vornado’s existing portfolio that includes energy audits and retrocommissioning, third party design and validation of retrofit projects, project management, and measurement and verification.
Another part of Dan’s role focuses on Vornado’s response to emerging trends in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) for the real estate industry. These ESG trends include topics in occupant health and indoor environmental quality, securing corporate debt in the form of green bonds, and the growing interest from the investor base in the management of Vornado’s carbon footprint.
Dan serves on the boards of the Building Energy Exchange, REBNY Sustainability Committee and is co-President of the New York Energy Consumers Council in NYC. He is also an active member of the GRESB Benchmark Committee and the Real Estate Roundtable’s Sustainable Policy Advisory Committee.

Helen Gurfel is the executive director of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Greenprint Center for Building Performance. Greenprint is an alliance of leading real estate owners, investors, and strategic partners committed to improving the environmental performance of the global real estate industry. As the executive director, she is responsible for the overall management and growth of the center.
Helen was most recently a director of GE Capital Real Estate’s global sustainability group, where she spearheaded a number of initiatives, including development of sustainability programs for GE’s portfolios in France, Canada, and the U.K., establishment of a rooftop solar program to deploy solar installations across properties in North America and the U.K., and incorporation of innovative technologies into GE-owned properties. She was also a member of GE Capital Real Estate’s global valuation team and GE Energy Financial Services’ portfolio management team. Previously, she was a principal consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Helen received a B.S. in chemical engineering from Columbia University, an MBA from the Wharton School, and a masters in international studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

Brad A. Molotsky practices in the area of real estate law. Mr. Molotsky’s primary practice is focused in the areas of commercial leasing, acquisitions and divestitures, property management, financing and real estate joint ventures (including mixed-use development). He also has deep experience in board governance and managing public company issues such as enterprise risk, internal audit, compensation, proxy statement preparation and review, as well as energy efficiency and sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Prior to joining Duane Morris and for nearly 20 years, Brad served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Brandywine Realty Trust. At Brandywine, Mr. Molotsky was responsible for all legal operations of the company, including acquisitions and divestitures, financings, joint ventures, board matters, insurance procurement, litigation oversight, SEC filing oversight and the legal aspects of capital raising. During his tenure, the company grew from 40 buildings to approximately 300 buildings, totaling 28 million square feet
Mr. Molotsky was named general counsel of the year by the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2014 and NJBIZ in 2013 and was awarded the Martin Luther King Community Service award in 2014.
Mr. Molotsky is a 1989 cum laude graduate of Villanova University Law School, where he was Order of the Coif, and also earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Villanova University. He is a 1986 cum laude graduate of the University of Delaware. Mr. Molotsky has also earned his LEED AP O+M certification. He also has earned an AV Preeminent® peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell®.

Dana Schneider leads JLL’s Energy and Sustainability Projects team nationally and heads the Northeast division in a region anchored by New York City, Boston, and Washington DC. Her focus is on energy performance optimization as well as the development and implementation of energy and sustainability programs for a broad range of clients and project types. She specializes in comprehensive energy and sustainability programs and associated ROI; and LEED and WELL certification for new buildings, existing building retrofits, and portfolios as well as commercial interiors. Ms. Schneider joined JLL in January 2002.
Ms. Schneider led the whole-building energy retrofit of the Empire State Building and achieved LEED EBOM Gold certification for the most famous office building in the world in 2011. This major initiative uses a groundbreaking analytical model for maximizing energy and environmental value per dollar spent, which she was instrumental in developing. Ms. Schneider has replicated this energy optimization process in dozens of projects across the U.S. In addition to her continuing innovative sustainability performance optimization work at the Empire State Building, she manages energy and sustainability aspects of commercial office, mixed use, convention center, entertainment/hospitality, schools, and mission critical facilities across the country and has led energy and sustainability assignments at over 80 million square feet of properties and hundreds of projects in the Northeast alone.

Wind Energy: The Art of Coping with Uncertainty
2018-01-17 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, Greenberg Lounge, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Please join the Guarini Center and a group of leading energy policy experts for a discussion on “Wind Energy: The Art of Coping with Uncertainty.”
Not only the wind is uncertain. The recently enacted tax reform is again alter the economics of renewable energy. How is an industry benefitting from tax credits coping with political uncertainty? When will it reach tax independence? Key players in a recent large private equity investment in wind energy and other industry experts will discuss these questions and assess the state and prospects of wind energy.
1.5 CLE credits offered in the Areas of Professional Practice category.

Speakers include:
Daniel Elkort, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Pattern Energy
Maggie Lemmerman, Director, Federal Legislative and Political Affairs, American Wind Energy Association
Alfredo Marti, Managing Director, Riverstone Holdings
Debra Duncan, Counsel, Vinson & Elkins
Robert Seber, Partner, Vinson & Elkins (Moderator)
This event is hosted in collaboration with Vinson & Elkins LLP

Speakers biographies:
Daniel Elkort
Prior to joining Pattern Energy, Mr. Elkort served as Director of Legal Services and Co-Head of Finance of PEG LP since June 2009. Prior to joining PEG LP, from 1996 to 2009, Mr. Elkort was responsible for managing the various project financings of Babcock & Brown’s North American renewable energy projects and served as the senior legal officer in Babcock & Brown’s North American Infrastructure Group. Before joining Babcock & Brown, from 1985 to 1996, Mr. Elkort was employed by the San Francisco based law firm of Jackson, Tufts, Cole & Black, where he was made a partner in 1991.
Maggie Lemmerman
Maggie Lemmerman is the Director of Federal Legislative and Political Affairs at the American Wind Energy Association. In this role she conducts much of AWEA’s Capitol Hill engagement on behalf of the association’s membership of over one thousand companies. Additionally, Maggie oversees the wind industry’s strategic political giving. Prior to AWEA, she worked at the British Embassy in Washington as a Senior Policy Advisor for transatlantic energy issues, with a focus on offshore wind development. Maggie spent five years on Capitol Hill, working first for her hometown Congressman, Curt Weldon (R-PA) and later for Senator John Boozman (R-AR) on a variety of legislative issues, including energy and international affairs. Maggie hails from Media, Pennsylvania and graduated with her bachelors in Political Science from Columbia University.
Alfredo Marti
Prior to joining Riverstone in 2008, Mr. Marti served in various leadership positions at BP plc, one of the world’s largest energy firms, including leading the organization responsible for overseeing the financial and operational performance and capital allocation of BP’s exploration and production businesses worldwide. Other roles at BP included Head of Strategy for BP’s North America Gas business, General Manager of operations in Wyoming, USA, and several roles in Latin America. Mr. Marti currently serves on the boards of Pattern Energy Group, Sierra Oil and Gas, Avant Energy, and Cuadrilla Resources, as well as on the Technical Committee of Riverstone’s CKD fund in Mexico. He previously represented Riverstone on the board of a number of other portfolio companies and managed Investor Relations for Riverstone Energy Limited in London. Mr. Marti received his M.B.A. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar. He also holds a summa cum laude degree in Economics from Venezuela’s Andres Bello University and a Corporate Finance diploma from London Business School.
Debra Duncan
Debbie’s practice focuses on advising U.S.-based businesses and investors on a wide range of federal income tax matters. Her business transactions practice focuses on the federal income tax consequences of structuring transactions, with particular emphasis on the acquisition, development, operation, and disposition of investments in alternative energy projects qualifying for federal tax credits; initial and follow-on public offerings and acquisitions of interests in publicly traded master limited partnerships (MLPs) and corporate issuers; and representing clients seeking advance private rulings from the Internal Revenue Service. She is a member of the firm’s Climate Change practice group.
Robert Seber
Robert’s principal areas of practice are private equity and privately negotiated mergers and acquisitions. He has represented numerous investment funds and corporate clients in different sectors of the energy industry and a wide spectrum of other industries, including technology and financial services. Robert’s extensive private equity experience covers the full transactional cycle of investment funds, ranging from fund formation to acquisitions, recapitalizations, minority investments, complex equity arrangements, and exits. A graduate of Yale Law School, he teaches classes on “Oil and Gas: Public and Private Governance” and “Energy Deals” at New York University.

After Indian Point: Alternatives for Low-Carbon Electricity in New York City
2018-02-28 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, D’Agostino Hall, Lipton Hall, 108 West 3rd Street, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Please join the Guarini Center and a group of leading energy policy experts for a discussion on “After Indian Point: Alternatives for Low-Carbon Electricity in New York City.”
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has pledged to shutter the Indian Point Nuclear Plant north of New York City by April of 2021. The closure will effect major change to the New York City power system; Indian Point currently provides about 25 percent of the electricity consumed in New York City and Westchester and the electricity it supplies is carbon free. At this upcoming event, experts will examine low-carbon alternatives for replacing the lost capacity as well as regulatory and policy constraints impacting the City’s options.
1.5 credits of CLE in the Areas of Professional Practice category

Speakers include:
Kyle Collins, Energy Marketer, Hydro Quebec
Susanne DesRoches, Deputy Director, Infrastructure & Energy at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
Richard Dewey, Executive Vice President, New York Independent System Operator
Jackson Morris, Director, Eastern Energy Project, Natural Resources Defense Council
Eduardo Porter, Reporter, New York Times (moderator)
Mark Travers, Executive Vice President, Global Practice Development, Ramboll

This event is hosted in collaboration with the Quebec Government Office in New York and the Danish Cleantech Hub

Carbon Prices at Universities? Insights from Yale University’s Experience
2018-03-29 08:00 - 17:00 | NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Faculty Library, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
In 2017, Yale University adopted an internal carbon charge across its campus, becoming one of the first universities in the United States to do so. Under Yale’s pioneering program, buildings throughout the university are charged $40 per ton of carbon dioxide that is emitted as a result of the energy they consume. On March 29th, the Guarini Center will host Casey Pickett, Director of Yale’s Carbon Challenge, for a conversation about the lessons learned from Yale’s early experiences with carbon pricing and whether such a scheme is appropriate for adoption at other universities throughout the country.
1 credit of CLE in the Areas of Professional Practice category

Featured Speakers:
Casey Pickett, Director, Yale University’s Carbon Charge; former Director for Innovation, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development
In conversation with:
Katrina Wyman, Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law, New York University School of Law
and
Danielle Spiegel-Feld (’10), Executive Director, Guarini Center on Environmental Energy & Land Use Law, New York University School of Law

The Natural Gas Forecast: Legal, Political and Economic Factors Affecting Gas Generation in the US
2018-04-30 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, Greenberg Lounge, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
The outlook for natural gas fired generation across America defies easy prediction. With record levels of production ongoing, the EIA expects that prices will remain low in 2018, which should support the continued ascendance of gas generation. At the same time, a number of states have introduced policies that could bolster alternative forms of generation and reduce the market share for gas. On April 30th, the Guarini Center will host a distinguished group of energy industry experts for a discussion about how these various legal, political and economic factors are impacting the outlook for natural gas fired generation across the United States.
1.5 credits of CLE in the Areas of Professional Practice category

Speakers include:
Robert Mancini (’84), Managing Director and Co-Head of Carlyle Power Partners
Thaddeus Miller, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Legal Officer, Calpine Corporation
Gary Rygh, Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Securities
Michael Shenberg (’85), Partner, White & Case LLP (moderator)

This event is hosted in collaboration with White & Case LLP

Greening America’s Data Centers
2018-10-16 18:30 - 19:45 | NYU School of Law, D’Agostino Hall, Lipton Hall, 108 West 3rd Street, New York, NY, 10012, United States
The data centers that power our search engines, social media sites and so much more contribute about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which is about same amount as the airline industry. As our digital appetite grows, these emissions could increase substantially if concerted action is not taken. At this upcoming event, industry experts will explore challenges and opportunities to reducing data centers’ carbon footprint to put us on a path towards a more sustainable future. Among other questions, we will consider the appropriateness of regulatory solutions to improve sustainability.
1 credit of CLE in Areas of Professional Practice

For background reading on this topic, please see: Joseph R. Brisca, Data Transmission and Energy Efficient Internet Data Centers, 67 Am. U. L. Rev. 233 (2017).

Speakers include:
John Clinger, Technical Specialist, Energy Efficiency, ICF International
Kenny Habul, Chief Executive Officer, SunEnergy1
Sadiq Malik, Principal, Digital Bridge
Vanessa Miler-Fels, Renewable Energy Strategist, Microsoft
Elizabeth Stein (’03), Senior Manager of New York Clean Energy Law & Policy Program, Environmental Defense Fund (moderator)
Brian Thomas, Business Architect, Growth & Sustainability, Equinix (keynote speaker)
This event is hosted in collaboration with ING

Speakers biographies:
John Clinger
John Clinger works with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the lead technical consultant in the development of eligibility criteria for several ENERGY STAR information technology and data center products. This work includes recent specification development in the computer server, data center storage, computer and networking product categories. John also represents EPA in the development of energy efficiency criteria in several IEEE, NSF, UL and ASHRAE industry standards. Moreover, he manages ICF’s ENERGY STAR product development team which develops eligibility criteria for over 70 product categories.
In addition, John recently concluded four years of management of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Buildings Data Center Challenge and Accelerator programs, partnering with private sector and federal government organizations to reduce infrastructure energy use in their data centers.
John holds an M.S. in electrical engineering and B.C.E. in computer engineering from the University of Delaware.
Kenny Habul
Kenny Habul, SunEnergy1’s CEO and President, is a native of Australia. Kenny has been involved in PV (PV) solar and solar thermal since 1996 and has since established himself as a leader in the field of sustainable construction technologies. Prior to forming SunEnergy1, Kenny was a partner in Habul Brothers Luxury Home Construction, one of the most prominent and innovative builders in Queensland, Australia. Kenny has vast experience in commercial and residential construction and formed a passion for sustainable construction practices and solar energy. Kenny holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Bond University in Australia.
Sadiq Malik
Sadiq Malik is a Principal at Digital Bridge Holdings, LLC. Mr. Malik is a seasoned investment professional with in-depth investing experience in private, distressed and public equities across a variety of industries.
Prior to joining Digital Bridge in 2017, Mr. Malik was a co-founding partner of Oskie Capital, a public and private equity firm, which invested in companies undergoing positive business transformations and corporate change. During his time there, Mr. Malik led Oskie’s investments in the communications infrastructure space including datacenters and satellite operators and was also involved in Oskie’s cable investments.
Before Oskie Capital, Mr. Malik worked on President Obama’s Auto Task Force at the U.S. Department of the Treasury during the financial crisis in 2009. In this role, he helped take General Motors through its bankruptcy reorganization, which remains the largest industrial bankruptcy in U.S. history. After its completion, Mr. Malik helped the head of the Auto Task Force, Steven Rattner, chronicle the experience in a book titled “Overhaul: An Insider’s Account of the Obama Administration’s Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry”.
Prior to working for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Mr. Malik was an investment professional at Och-Ziff Capital (2007-2008), The Blackstone Group (2003-2005) and Morgan Stanley (2000-2003).
Mr. Malik earned an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School in 2007 and a BA, summa cum laude, in Economics from Dartmouth College in 2000.
Vanessa Miler
Vanessa is a Renewable Energy Strategist at Microsoft’s Cloud Infrastructure and Operations, she works on energy strategy, renewable energy procurement and investment. 10+ years of experience in unlocking capital for renewable energy and environment projects in EMEA and emerging markets. Experience across the public and private sectors. Former senior adviser on climate finance and negotiations at the French Ministry of Finance. French and Indian national, graduate of Sciences-Po Paris and the ENA – Ecole Nationale d’Administration.
Elizabeth Stein
Elizabeth Brooke Stein is an attorney in EDF’s Clean Energy Program, focusing on the development of a low-carbon energy system.
Elizabeth engages in state and regional proceedings to advocate for the promulgation of technology and practices that improve the flexibility and performance of the electric system, and enable the full deployment of more low-carbon resources, including low-carbon demand response and intermittent renewable resources. Since 2012, Elizabeth and her colleagues in EDF’s New York office have been working to ensure that the post-Sandy transformation of New York’s electric system is built on a foundation of resiliency and sustainability, not just durability.
Brian Thomas
Brian has been an integral part of Equinix’s journey to be the leading global data center and interconnection service provider. Since joining the Company in 2005 he has witnessed the stock appreciate thirteen-fold from $30 to $430. While at Equinix Brian has had the unique privilege of reporting to the CFO, COO, CEO and Executive Chairman while playing pivotal roles in the areas of Finance, Strategy, Culture and Sustainability. Prior to Equinix, Brian was an investment banker with Citigroup in London, Singapore, New York and San Francisco. During his nine years at Citigroup he advised clients in the Technology, Health Care and Consumer Products sectors on a range of M&A and Capital Markets transactions. In between his management and advisory experiences, Brian spent a couple of years being a self-employed entrepreneur which involved experiments in Real Estate, Hand-loom Silk and Documentary Film.
Brian’s academic pursuits were in international development, with a focus on market and outward oriented development policies. He earned an M.Phil. in the Economics and Politics of Development from the University of Cambridge and a B.A. in Economics and Politics from Willamette University. His inclination to lifelong education has drawn him to learning opportunities in Finance, Management, Technology, Design, Sustainability and Well-being.
Brian is a product of the colonial influence in India. His was born into a Syrian Christian and Portuguese Catholic family from Kerala and raised in Mumbai where he was educated at a British Anglican institution, Cathedral and John Connon School. With a professional lens, Brian views himself as an accidental capitalist. What moves him is long-term value, social impact and truthful storytelling. In his personal life, he can be found raising a family, enjoying the outdoors and consuming media.

Expanding Electric Vehicles in New York City
2018-11-27 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, Greenberg Lounge, 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Please join the Guarini Center and a group of experts from industry, government and NGOs for a discussion on “Expanding Electric Vehicles in New York City”.
To achieve its ambitious climate goals, New York City will need to aggressively reduce the number of gasoline powered vehicles on the roads, which currently contribute roughly thirty percent of city-wide emissions. Transitioning towards electric vehicles will almost certainly be part of the solution. Yet, to date, the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) in the city has been relatively slow. At this upcoming event, experts will examine the legal and economic obstacles that have hindered the expansion of EVs in New York City to date and how to overcome such obstacles.
1.5 credit of CLE in Areas of Professional Practice

Speakers:
Noah Garcia, Transportation Policy Analyst, Climate & Clean Energy, Natural Resources Defense Council
John Markowitz, Lead Energy Services Product Development Engineer, New York Power Authority
Jen Roberton, Transportation Policy Advisor, New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
John Shipman, Dept. Manager, Electric Vehicles Program, Con Edison
Jacob J. Worenklein (’73), Chairman & CEO, US Grid Company & Chairman, Ravenswood Power Holdings
Katrina Wyman, Sarah Herring Sorin Professor of Law, NYU School of Law (moderator)

This event is sponsored by Ravenswood Power Holdings

Pipeline Wars: The Battles Over Gas Infrastructure Development
2019-02-06 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, D’Agostino Hall, Lipton Hall, 108 West 3rd Street, New York, NY, 10012, United States
The business of building oil and gas pipelines in America used to be quiet. No longer. While Keystone XL and Dakota Access may have claimed most of the headlines, almost every major pipeline project is now a legal battleground between the industry and activist groups. Many of the current fights erupted in Eastern states as a host of new pipeline projects move forward to link the Marcellus and Utica shale gas fields to power stations and homes across the densely populated East Coast. The legal objections to new natural gas pipelines frequently invoke the downstream impact of additional fossil fuel infrastructure on climate change. Our distinguished panelists represent different perspectives in these pipeline wars and promise an engaging discussion.
1.5 credit of CLE in Areas of Professional Practice
Speaker Information:
Paul Hartman, Senior Policy Advisor, Midstream & Industry Operations, American Petroleum Institute
Jeff Makholm, Managing Director, NERA Economic Consulting
Jeremy Marwell, Partner, Vinson & Elkins LLP
Moneen Nasmith, Staff Attorney, Earthjustice
Robert Seber, Partner, Vinson & Elkins LLP; Adjunct Professor of Law, NYU School of Law (moderator)
Avi Zevin (’13), Staff Attorney, Institute for Policy Integrity

This event is hosted in collaboration with Vinson & Elkins LLP

Industry Perspectives on Climate Change Regulation
2019-05-02 18:30 - 20:00 | NYU School of Law, D’Agostino Hall, Lipton Hall, 108 West 3rd Street, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Please join the Guarini Center and a group of distinguished energy industry experts for a discussion on climate change regulation.
Panelists will provide their thoughts on the pros and cons of a number of proposed or implemented policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including federal carbon taxes, carbon adders to be administered by independent system operators, renewable energy mandates and more.
1.5 credit of CLE in Areas of Professional Practice

Speakers:
Madison F. Grose, Vice Chairman, General Counsel, & Senior Managing Director, Starwood Energy Group
Catherine James, Vice President and General Counsel, Kinder Morgan
Jim Larocque, Principal, The Carlyle Group
Thaddeus Miller, Executive Vice Chairman & Chief Legal Officer, Calpine
Michael Shenberg (’85), Partner, White & Case (moderator)

This event is sponsored by White & Case

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 | 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 | NY
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.
