December 09, 2024

ASU Law’s Environmental Sustainability area of expertise prepares students to tackle global environmental challenges

With pressing issues like climate change, water conservation, renewable energy, Indigenous land restoration and animal rights on the rise, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University is equipping students with the legal and policy tools to address these complex environmental challenges.

The Law and Sustainability Program combines innovative research from renowned faculty with hands-on opportunities to tackle sustainability issues. It is also recognized for its cutting-edge faculty research, the annual SRP Sustainability Conference of American Legal Educators and the Morrison Prize for scholars. These initiatives foster exchanging ideas and solutions to today’s most urgent sustainability problems.

Troy Rule, the Joseph Feller Memorial Chair in Law and Sustainability Professor of Law and faculty director of the Law and Sustainability Program, has played a key role in elevating the program’s reputation over the past decade. He became interested in environmental sustainability law during his years as a practicing attorney while representing a wind farm developer in real estate matters. Seeing how that project benefited its host community inspired him to focus his academic research on renewable energy law and policy.

As faculty director, Rule founded the Mentorship Initiative in Sustainability Law, created the Morrison Prize Contest and established the Sustainability Conference of American Legal Educators (SCALE). He also takes many of his students on field trips to allow them to see projects up close as a way for them to understand legal and policy changes facing them.

Other faculty in the program bring expertise in climate change, Indigenous approaches to environmental sustainability, renewable energy, natural rights, and water resource management. Here’s a look at some of their work:

• Dan Bodansky, Regents and Foundation Professor of Law is widely regarded as an authority on international environmental law, particularly in global climate change law. He has authored several books, articles and chapters on the topic.
• Stacy Leeds, the Willard H. Pedrick Dean and Regents and Foundation Professor of Law, and Professor of Practice Derrick Beetso lead the Sustainability and Indigenous Futures Project, which focuses on land restoration and co-management of resources by integrating Indigenous knowledge systems.
• Karen Bradshaw, Alan A. Matheson Fellow in Law and Professor of Law, is an expert on the rights of nature, biodiversity, animal rights and wildfire law. She leads the "Radically Reimagining Project: The Human Relationship with Nature," a research and community engagement initiative focused on creating new visions for human relationships with nature.
• Rhett Larson, the Richard Morrison Professor of Water Law, is an expert in domestic and international water law and environmental and natural resource law. He has published numerous articles and books and secured grants to explore innovative solutions for increasing access to clean water.

The Law and Sustainability program offers a rigorous curriculum, hands-on experiences and a supportive community. Opportunities such as a certificate program, mentorship, internships, career support and field trips prepare graduates to lead in the sustainability field.

 

Written by Crystal Jimenez