People Places Planet Podcast

Philanthropic and government resources alone can’t afford to restore all our wetlands. Over the past two decades, Adam Davis’ thought leadership has increased private capital available for large-scale, multi-benefit wetland restoration projects nationally. In this miniseries, ELI’s Georgia Ray sits down with each of the 2023 National Wetlands Awardees.   ★ Support this podcast ★

Indigenous people used prescribed burns in forests for thousands of years to manage land, reduce wildfire risk, and support cultural practices. Noa Ervin and Claire McLeod of Beveridge & Diamond interview Deniss Martinez, PhD Candidate at the University of California Davis, focusing on how colonial governments and land management agencies have suppressed these practices, and highlight the recent progress in restoring Indigenous fire management. ★ Support this podcast ★

Wetlands are critical infrastructure for coastal areas and species, but they are also integral to the culture of local communities. This week’s episode features Louisiana 4-H’s Wetlands Youth Ambassadors, young leaders working to protect and restore the state’s wetlands. The ambassadors share their personal experiences growing up near and in coastal wetlands, discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Louisiana's wetlands, and their work to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands.  ★ Support this podcast ★

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is playing a major role in setting air quality standards across the country and world. Led by Dr. Steven Cliff, the agency works closely with scientists, industry, and other regulatory bodies to create a carbon-neutral California by 2045. In this episode, Dr. Cliff joins Justin Savage and Maureen Gorsen of Sidley Austin LLP to discuss how CARB’s work is considering environmental justice, rethinking and electrifying their transportation infrastructure, and automated driving. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this podcast episode, Jeffrey Peterson interviews Susan Crawford and Robert Verchick, two noted lawyers who have new books on climate adaptation and coastal resilience published in April 2023. The interview covers a wide range of topics, including the challenges posed by sea-level rise, the importance of social justice in climate adaptation, and the role of law in addressing climate change.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Drinking water in the United States is among the world’s cleanest and most heavily regulated, yet entire grocery store aisles are dedicated to bottled water. Why is this? In this episode, ELI’s Georgia Ray speaks with Cindy Donis, a community organizer for East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, and Gregory Pierce, director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab within UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation. Cindy and Gregory offer background on drinking water contamination in LA County, California, and share what needs to happen at the local, state, and federal level to combat negative perceptions about tap water while ensuring it is indeed safe to drink. ★ Support this podcast ★

As sovereign nations, a unique relationship exists between Tribal Nations and the U.S. federal government, which is grounded in the U.S. Constitution. An integral component of this relationship is a process known as “government-to-government consultation,” or, colloquially, a “G2G.” In this episode, ELI’s Georgia Ray speaks with Meghan Gavin, a lawyer and partner at Cascadia Law Group, to learn about G2G consultation with Tribes in Washington state, the power dynamic surrounding government relations with Tribal Nations, and how changing environmental conditions impact future consultations. She will also weigh in on how the Biden-Harris Administration’s new policies on consultation impact her work. The episode is part of The Youth Review podcast series.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Increasingly, independent third parties—better known as “corporate compliance monitors”--are appointed to oversee a company’s compliance following the settlement of a criminal or, sometimes, civil enforcement case. Justin Savage of Sidley Austin LLP, speaks with Ike Adams, a Partner at Sidley Austin, and Michele Edwards and Brad Wilson, both with StoneTurn, a global advisory firm. The trio discuss corporate compliance monitorships, which has been a perennial hot topic in DOJ enforcement, particularly in the environmental space over the last 5 years. The episode is part of The Enforcement Angle series, featuring conversations about state and federal enforcement of environmental laws and regulations with senior enforcement officials and thought leaders on environmental enforcement in the United States and globally.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Global sustainable development requires attention to environmental, developmental, and social priorities. ELI’s Georgia Ray speaks with ELI Visiting Attorney Tomkeen Mobegi, an international law expert whose past work has focused on climate change, environmental governance, and human rights and development in the Global South. Tomkeen shares his perspective on intersectional and international legal education, the importance of international treaties, and the unique approach of the United States in the international legal space.  ★ Support this podcast ★

International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 to bring attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. One women’s issue that is often overlooked is access to clean water. In this episode, ELI’s Georgia Ray speaks with Elizabeth Koch, ELI’s Senior Manager of International Programs, and Jessica Troell, Director of ELI’s International Water Program, about two ELI initiatives pertaining to women and water: strengthening the recognition and protection of water tenure of the world’s most vulnerable populations; and the importance of inclusive decisionmaking in water diplomacy processes and the resultant positive implications for regional peace and human security. ★ Support this podcast ★

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment & Natural Resources Division is tasked with enforcing the United States’ civil and criminal environmental laws. In this episode, Justin Savage and Nicole Noelliste of Sidley Austin LLP talk with Todd Kim, the Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ ENRD, and Kate Konschnik, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of ENRD. The episode is part of The Enforcement Angle series, featuring conversations about state and federal enforcement of environmental laws and regulations with senior enforcement officials and thought leaders on environmental enforcement in the United States and globally.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Many view the early 1970s as the dawn of environmental law here in the United States. President Nixon signed NEPA into law on January 1, 1970. By December of that same year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was formed. Across the Atlantic, France was similarly focused on the environment, and created the Ministry of the Environment in 1971. Was this pure serendipity or were there cultural and historical factors at play that contributed to that almost concurrent establishment?  And what other parallels existed between France and the United States in their environmental regulatory journeys? In this episode, ELI Visiting Attorney Aïcha Ghmouch discusses her work examining these two frameworks. ★ Support this podcast ★

With its deeply forested mountains, unique rock formations, vast plains, and moonlike deserts, New Mexico—the fifth largest state of the nation—boasts a unique landscape. Tasked with protecting and restoring the environment while fostering a healthy and prosperous New Mexico for present and future generations, the New Mexico Environment Department covers a lot of ground. In this episode, Justin Savage, a Partner and the Global Co-Leader of the Environmental practice at Sidley Austin LLP, speaks with New Mexico Environment Secretary James Kenney and the former Director of EPA's Criminal Investigation Division, Doug Parker. ★ Support this podcast ★

ELI’s Georgia Ray speaks with Ross Weaver, the Program Assistant Director for Wetlands Watch, in this first in a series of episodes highlighting the incredible work of wetland heroes throughout the country.

John Pendergrass, ELI’s Vice President of Programs and Publications, and Sandy Thiam, Associate Vice President of Research & Policy, share highlights from ELI’s research department in 2022 as well as a preview of what’s in store for 2023.