Climate and Environmental Justice
Frontline and environmental justice communities shoulder a disproportionate share of the worst impacts of climate change. The Sabin Center is committed to advancing environmental and climate justice and, guided by the needs and expertise of vulnerable communities, engages on environmental issues faced by those communities.
Resources & Projects
Publications
Disasters
- Determining Climate Responsibility: Government Liability for Hurricane Katrina?, by Teresa Chan, Michael Burger, Vincent Colatriano, John Echeverria (2019)
- Prison Preparedness and Legal Obligations To Protect Prisoners During Natural Disasters, by William Omorogieva (2018)
Energy Insecurity Initiative
- Energy Insecurity Mitigation: The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Other Low-Income Relief Programs in the US, by Andrea Nishi, Diana Hernandez, and Michael B. Gerrard (2023)
Indigenous and Human Rights
- Status Report on Principles of International and Human Rights Law Relevant to Climate Change, by Katelyn Horne, Maria Antonia Tigre & Michael B. Gerrard (Mar. 2023)
- Climate Change and Indigenous Groups: The Rise of Indigenous Voices in Climate Litigation, by Maria Antonia Tigre (Dec. 2022)
State and Local Laws
- New York Adopts Nation’s Strongest Environmental Justice Law, by Michael B. Gerrard and Edward McTiernan (May 2023)
- New York's Green Amendment: The First Decisions, by Michael B. Gerrard and Edward McTiernan (Mar. 2023)
- Helping New Jersey State Agencies and Departments Align Their Actions with GHG Reduction Mandates and Environmental Justice Principles, by Jennifer Danis and Zoe Makoul (May 2022)
- Smart Surfaces, Smart Cities: Reducing Heat and Promoting Equity in Urban Areas, by Hillary Aidun (Sept. 2021)
- Emerging State-Level Environmental Justice Laws, Michael B. Gerrard and Edward McTiernan, New York Law Journal (May 2021)
- The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act's Environmental Justice Promise, by Hillary Aidun, Julia Li & Antonia Pereira (Apr. 2021)
Transportation Climate Initiative
- Using New York Law to Advance Equity in the Transportation & Climate Initiative Program, by Michael B. Gerrard, Ama Ruth Francis, and Hillary Aidun (2021)
- 100 Days of Trump 2.0: A Campaign Against Environmental and Climate Justice, by Olivia Guarna (May 1, 2025)
- Environmental Justice Is under Attack: We Need Local Advocacy Power Tools, by Olivia Guarna and Yosef Robele (Mar. 6, 2025)
- Sabin Center Files Amicus Brief Amid Trump Transition to Support EPA’s Heavy-Duty Vehicle Standards, by Vincent Nolette (Jan. 22, 2025)
- Model Environmental Justice Bills Released by WE ACT for Environmental Justice and the Sabin Center, by Andrea Nishi (July 28, 2023)
- Administrative Interpretation of the CLCPA, by Andrea Nishi (Mar. 30, 2023)
- New Sabin Center White Paper Recommends Legal Steps to Help New Jersey Meet GHG Reduction & Environmental Justice Goals, by Jennifer Danis and Zoe Makoul (May 4, 2022)
- Dobbs v. Jackson and Juliana v. United States: “Innumerable Human Lives”, by Julia Olson and Andrea Rodgers (Dec. 6, 2021)
- Extreme Heat Protections Should Include Incarcerated Workers, by Jacob Elkin (Sept. 24, 2021)
- Using Smart Surfaces to Reduce Heat and Promote Equity in Urban Areas: New Sabin Center White Paper, by Hillary Aidun (Sept. 10, 2021)
- Using New York Law to Advance Equity in the Transportation & Climate Initiative Program: New Report, by Hillary Aidun (Sept. 2, 2021)
Engagement
- Amicus Brief of the National League of Cities and U.S. Conference of Mayors in Texas v. EPA (March 2023)
- Third-party intervention in the case of Verein KlimaSeniorinnen and others v. Switzerland at the European Court of Human Rights (December 2022)
- Comments on the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Proposed Amendments to SEQRA Regulations pursuant to Environmental Justice Siting Law by INCITE Network (May 7, 2025)
- Comments on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings (Nov. 29, 2021)
Events
Media
To be added