Insights

What brought you to explore novel legal approaches to climate disruption?

Mary Christina Wood, the Philip H. Knight Professor of Law at the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center, University of Oregon

Professor Mary Wood reflects on how she began to explore novel legal approaches to the global problem of climate disruption.

Bifrost gratefully acknowledges Stephanie LeMenager, Barbara and Carlisle Moore Distinguished Professor in English and American Literature at University of Oregon, and the leadership of the research network NIES for all their valuable work and support behind the scenes that helped make this video interview possible. Grateful acknowledgment is also made to Torsten Kjellstrand of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication for providing valuable studio facilities where this and other interviews were filmed with Eugene-based activists, scholars, lawyers and plaintiffs affiliated with Our Children’s Trust.

Why aren’t environmental laws working?

Environmental law professor Mary Wood discusses the problem of legislators and government agencies being captured by the industries they are supposed to regulate, which has contributed significantly to the present climate change crisis.

What brought you to explore novel legal approaches to climate disruption?

Professor Mary Wood reflects on how she began to explore novel legal approaches to the global problem of climate disruption.

A clarification of the public trust concept as it applies to the climate crisis

Environmental legal theorist Professor Mary Wood clarifies the public trust doctrine as it relates to the atmospheric trust litigation approach she has developed. That apprach is now being tested in U.S. federal court in the historic climate change lawsuit Juliana v. United States.

What is the public trust doctrine undergirding the Juliana vs the USA lawsuit?

Professor Mary Wood, originator of the atmospheric trust litigation approach put to the test in the historic climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States, explain the public trust doctrine and its significance.

How did your theory of atmospheric trust develop out of the public trust doctrine?

Professor Mary Wood, originator of the atmospheric trust litigation approach put to the test in the historic climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States, discusses how her legal theory developed out of the public trust doctrine.

Developing a prescription for climate recovery as a goal for atmospheric trust litigation

Professor Mary Wood, originator of the atmospheric trust litigation approach put to the test in the historic climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States, details her efforts working with Dr. James Hansen to arrive at a prescription for climate recovery as a step in the development of her atmospheric trust litigation approach.

What is climate disruption?

Mary Wood is professor of environmental law at University of Oregon and originator of the atmospheric trust litigation approach put to the test in the historic climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States. Prof. Wood explains the concept of climate disruption.

Credit: Hartman, Steven, Peter Norrman, and Mary Christina Wood. What brought you to explore novel legal approaches to climate disruption? Originally published in bifrostonline.org, 26 October 2018 (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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