Editors' Note

• Author: Nicole Waxman - Elizabeth Platt
• Pages: 2-2

2Sustainable Development Law & Policy

The Sustainable Development Law & Policy Brief (SDLP)

strives to address and analyze cutting-edge legal issues devel-

oping within the elds of environmental law and sustainable

development. For the last nineteen years, SDLP has examined

the gap between public law and private sector solutions as well

as society’s needs.

Good governance requires a balance of transparency,

effective collaboration, and proper implementation of policies.

As the world becomes increasingly connected, the need for

effective governance on the local, national, and international

level increases as well. Within the realm of environmental

protection, efcient governance at all levels can have a valu-

able impact on natural resources and wildlife. Yet, when the

governing bodies lack transparency and openness, meaningful

collaboration, or proper and lawful implementation of policies,

the effect can have a shocking blow to natural resources around

the world. Nevertheless, the public holds a powerful backstop

power to prevent such detriment.

This issue examines that powerful force and the creative

solutions employed throughout the world. On a national

level, Congress wields a formidable authority over executive

revocation of national monuments and public lands held for

preservation. Further, Congress’s spending power allows for

incentivization of investment into benecial environmental

measures, including Carbon Capture technologies. The issue

further highlights the inuence of state power in cooperative

federalism laws, such as the Federal Power Act. On an inter-

national level, the issue highlights the role of transparency in

development projects funded by international organizations as

well as the strength of international treaties.

Similarly, the public brandishes the strength of public com-

ment to ensure effective collaboration with executive agencies.

When that collaboration falters, the Administrative Procedures

Act and the Endangered Species Act provide recourse to steer

the agency back to informed policymaking. Judicial review of

administrative procedures ensure that the agency implements

the true intent of Congress, including the commitment to broad

habitat and wildlife protection. Together, creative solutions,

including those explored in this issue, ensure good governance

complete with fair processes, dissemination of information,

and benets for all.

eDitoRS’ note

Features:

14 | can the expanSion of 45Q effectively SpuR

inveStment in caRbon captuRe?

by Shannon Zaret

16 | Jam v. ifc: one Step foRwaRD, two StepS

back?

by Nicholas Johnson

17 | feRc RulinG unDeRmineS eneRGy feDeRaliSm

anD aRbitRaRily taRGetS miD-atlantic ReGion

RenewableS

by Philip Killeen

24 | continuinG a bRoaD application of

Section 9 of the eSa to pRevent futuRe

maSS extinctionS

by Alicia Martinez

26 | how SyRia’S failuRe to upholD the kyoto

pRotocol anD paRiSaGReement exaceRbateD

the effectS of climate chanGe in the levant

by Nivea A. Ohri

To subscribe to the Sustainable Development Law & Policy Brief, email our Managing Editor at sdlp.wcl@gmail.com

On behalf of the Sustainable Development Law & Policy

Brief, we would like to thank the contributing authors for their

time and insight that make this publication possible. We would

also like to thank our staff and editorial board for their hard

work and dedication to SDLP. Additionally, we would like to

thank our faculty advisors, without whom we would not have

the opportunity to share our views on the future of environ-

mental law through SDLP. Lastly, we would like to thank our

readers for their continued interest and support over the last

nineteen years.

Sincerely,

Nicole Waxman Elizabeth Platt

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief