Leonard Leo’s group criticizes efforts to educate judges on climate issues

A rightwing think tank tied to Leonard Leo is accusing a nonprofit’s climate change seminars for judges of unfairly influencing the judiciary to favor climate lawsuits.

Dharna Noor and Alice Herman report for The Guardian.

In short:

The Environmental Law Institute’s (ELI) Climate Judiciary Project offers neutral education to judges on climate science for use in related litigation.
The American Energy Institute (AEI), a pro-fossil fuel think tank, alleges that the program unfairly supports plaintiffs in climate cases, releasing a report claiming bias.
AEI’s report was edited and promoted by CRC Advisors, a PR firm chaired by Leonard Leo, known for shaping the conservative US judiciary.

Key quote:

"ELI’s seminars are giving judges the ABCs of climate change, which is a complicated subject that they ought to know about."

— Kert Davies, director of special investigations at the Center for Climate Integrity

Why this matters:

Climate-related litigation could hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in the climate crisis. Efforts to educate judges about climate science may be key to ensuring fair and informed legal outcomes in these cases.

www.theguardian.com

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Credit: jmattaikenjd2009/Pixabay

British Columbia's election may shift climate and Indigenous policies

British Columbia’s upcoming election presents voters with a choice between the BC NDP’s progressive approach to climate action and Indigenous rights and the BC Conservative Party’s climate denial and opposition to shared land use with First Nations.

Arno Kopecky reports for The Walrus.

Keep reading...Show less

Read the Full Article on

thewalrus.ca

Leonard Leo’s group criticizes efforts to educate judges on climate issues

FEMA nears disaster fund crisis as hurricanes drain resources

Climate change is driving stronger hurricanes as cities remain unprepared

Floods and disinformation threaten Black voter turnout in the wake of Hurricane Helene

Hurricanes force some Floridians to face the impossible cost of evacuating

Oregon utility faces climate lawsuit for misleading customers

The fight to protect water in Fort Chipewyan grows urgent

British Columbia's election may shift climate and Indigenous policies

Houston area has more than 100 unauthorized air pollution events already this year

An EHN analysis finds nearly half were related to flaring.

LISTEN: Mokshda Kaul on making the clean energy transition work for all

“Coalitions become this interesting way to create buy-in.”

Op-ed: Is plastic the biggest climate threat?

A plastics treaty for the climate and health must address overproduction of plastics and head off the petrochemical and plastic industry’s planned expansion.

Residents say Pennsylvania has failed communities after state studies linked fracking to child cancer

Last year Pennsylvania Department of Health studies showed increased risk of childhood cancer, asthma and low birth weights for people living near fracking. Advocates say not enough has been done since.

The fossil fuel industry is disproportionately harming low-income and minority women: Report

“Women, in all of their diversity, must be at the center of climate and energy decision-making.”

Op-ed: People need shelter from climate change — their health hangs in the balance

The discourse on climate resilience must include affordable housing policy solutions.