Global Climate Change

By Michael B. Gerrard and Cullen Howe

This chapter from Environmental Law Practice addresses both the factual background of global climate change and its legal implications. The chapter is divided into two parts, discussing the factual background of global climate change and the legal issues surrounding climate change at both a national and international level.

After a brief introduction, the chapter examines the rise in global temperatures and the greenhouse effect and gives an explanation of greenhouse gases. It covers U.S. GHG emissions, and projects future worldwide GHG emissions. It also provides insight into possible solutions to control GHG emissions, including energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy, and carbon sequestration.

Additionally, the chapter contains a discussion of the international legal context underlying global climate change and continues with a review of U.S. policy, which until now has largely been characterized by the absence of mandatory federal legislation addressing climate change. It describes the role of the Clean Air Act in providing authority for regulating GHGs and discusses climate change litigation, which is broken down into three general categories: administrative law claims, civil claims, and public international law claims.

Further, the chapter sets forth regional, state and local efforts to address climate change. It concludes with an explanation on voluntary programs and corporate actions to address climate change.

Environmental Law Practice Guide (Matthew Bender) provides comprehensive answers to the "how to" questions that arise in environmental law. It has 68 chapters covering virtually every topic in environmental law and 52 additional chapters devoted to the environmental programs of each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Coverage includes not only explanations of the law, but also how to apply the law with practical advice, checklists and forms. Unit I covers procedural matters that cut across all substantive areas of environmental practice; Unit II covers environmental quality issues; Unit III covers regulated substances and waste management; and Unit IV provides state-by-state coverage of each state's environmental controls as well as the governmental organization and procedures used to administer those controls.

Purchase the chapter, Global Climate Change, Chapter 17C - Environmental Law Practice Guide.

Lexis.com subscribers can access Global Climate Change, Chapter 17C - Environmental Law Practice Guide.

Related resource for lexis.com subscribers: Grad, Treatise on Environmental Law (Matthew Bender).

Purchase Environmental Law Practice Guide, by Michael Gerrard, General Editor (Matthew Bender) at the Store.

Purchase Treatise on Environmental Law, by Frank Grad (Matthew Bender) at the Store.

Check out our Global Climate Change Special Pamphlet Series, written by American College of Environmental Lawyers.

Read Environmental Law articles from Martindale.com.

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