Danny Cullenward

Prove Paris was more than paper promises

Wishful thinking and bravado are eclipsing reality. Countries in the European Union are struggling to increase energy efficiency and renewable power to the levels that they claimed they would. Japan promised cuts in emissions to match those of its peers, but meeting the goals will cost more than the country is willing to pay. Even without Trumps attempts to roll back federal climate policy, the United States is shifting its economy to clean energy too slowly.

Science Advocacy and the Legal System: Is Life Cycle Assessment Unconstitutional?

Communication scholars and practitioners emphasize the need for scientists to reach out to the general public, the media, and policymakers. But one important audience is often left off of this list: judges. In this chapter, we describe a recent legal challenge to California’s climate policy, which applies life cycle assessment methods to evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of transportation fuels. In December 2011, a federal district court found that the policy’s use of life cycle assessment impermissibly discriminates against interstate commerce. The authors represented two groups of scientists on appeal before the Ninth Circuit, providing science-based arguments in support of the policy’s methodological approach. Using this experience as a case study, we identify strategies for interdisciplinary collaboration between the scientific and legal communities.