Urban Climate Law: An Earth Institute Sustainability Primer

Cities have taken a leading role in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and city-level policy makers need to figure out how to meet their climate commitments. Urban Climate Law is a practical primer on the legal challenges and opportunities for effective and equitable decarbonization, focusing on environmental justice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 24 October 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Cities have assumed a prominent position in the drive to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. As federal and state climate policies fluctuate, numerous major U.S. cities have committed to ambitious sustainability targets, alongside smaller communities nationwide. City-level policymakers, grappling with a multitude of political limitations, a complex web of federal and state laws, and varying degrees of municipal autonomy, must navigate the complexities of fulfilling their climate commitments.

Urban Climate Law serves as a practical and accessible guide to the legal complexities and opportunities for effective and equitable decarbonization. Authored by renowned experts in local climate law and policy, Michael Burger and Amy E. Turner delve into the critical issues surrounding climate mitigation policies across the buildings, transportation, waste, and energy sectors, with a particular focus on environmental justice. They examine the legal frameworks and factors that either hinder or facilitate diverse approaches at the municipal level.

Burger and Turner present complex legal topics, such as preemption, federal statutes like the Clean Air Act, and constitutional law, in a clear and concise manner, making it accessible to readers without legal backgrounds, including students, advocates, officials, and other practitioners. With a target audience of nonspecialists, this book offers concise and comprehensive answers to the fundamental questions cities face when developing legally sound local climate policy.

By leveraging their expertise and insights, Urban Climate Law empowers cities to navigate the legal landscape and implement effective strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting sustainability, and fostering a more resilient and sustainable future.

Weight: 274g
Dimension: 140 x 217 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231201353