Policy Practicum: Species & Ecosystem Preservation

Catalog description

Global climate change is significantly reducing biodiversity. Some biologists estimate that 35% of animals and plants could become extinct in the wild by 2050 due to global climate change. Climate change is having a profound effect on ecosystem and species distribution and sustainability up and down the west coast. The effects are not uniform, nor are they completely projectable. But, they are expected to be long-lasting, and in many instances functionally irreversible. Federal and state governments are not well prepared for these challenges and may lack the policy and legal tools needed to coordinate efforts for effective interventions. Agencies may lack data necessary to identify and evaluate policy needs and goals for managing the impacts of climate change. Their ability to consider and address these impacts has been limited by both a lack of information and the dispersal of relevant programs across agencies at the federal and state levels. In many instances, statutory and regulatory frameworks are not well designed to address dynamic climate change challenges. This course will focus on analyzing these challenges and potential future policies and actions. The course will principally address possible actions in the western states and British Columbia, particularly in relation to terrestrial species. Students will learn about the structure and programs of federal and state authorities that have the capacity to address ecosystem and species impacts of climate change. Research teams will evaluate possible innovations in law and regulations, organizations and institutions, and technology and information systems. The goal of the project is to help build a coordinated public policy system that will support and enhance long-term species and ecosystem sustainability. This project is open to law students and to graduate students in the fields of environmental science and…