Global Warming and Political Cooling: Addressing Climate Change in a Hostile Federal Political Climate

On Tuesday, November 8, 2011, ACS hosted Global Warming and Political Cooling: Addressing Climate Change in a Hostile Federal Political Climate. Facing a more conservative federal political climate, dimmer prospects for federal legislation to address climate change, and unprecedented hostility to federal regulation, what other tools can be brought to bear to begin to combat climate change? What state and local initiatives (state legislation, city ordinances, etc.) could prove productive? Given the Supreme Court’s recent decision in American Electric Power v. Connecticut, which blocked state and local governments from using the federal courts to file public nuisance claims in order to limit greenhouse gas emissions from electric power plants, what other bodies of law and litigation strategies might be employed?

Welcome and Introduction by Caroline Fredrickson, President, American Constitution Society

Panel Discussion featured:

• Moderator, Gerard J. Waldron, Covington & Burling LLP; former Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, U.S. House of Representatives
• Anna Aurilio, Director, Washington, D.C. of Environment America
• Andrew B. Clubok, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
• David Doniger, Policy Director and Senior Attorney, Climate and Clean Air Program, Natural Resources Defense Council