By: Alex Dumais On October 8, 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its report on climate change. Among other things, the report warned the world was approaching a devastating and irreversible environmental “tipping point” in the battle against climate change. But while governments drag their feet, action is coming from an […]
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Osgoode’s EJ&S Clinic files a law reform submission on Ontario’s proposed repeal of the Far North Act
Co-Director, Dayna Scott, comments on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's (MNRF) proposal in support of the province’s review of the Far North Act. Read the full submission here: ERO Registry Submission
COP24: What does the new Paris Agreement rulebook mean for Canada’s climate pledges?
By: Isabel Dávila When the Paris Agreement was adopted during the COP21 in December 2015, news releases were filled with references to the landmark agreement. Statements from ENGOs,[6] celebrated what was seen as the most significant step forward in the international fight against climate change. On December 2018, the 24th Conference of the Parties to […]
How Can the Province of Nova Scotia Protect its Coast?
By: Piotr Rak Many jurisdictions are trying to enact new laws to protect their coastlines from various pressures, such as offshore oil drilling and climate change. Recent examples include the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act and the Atlantic Coastal Economies Protection Act in the United States. Both of these statutes are limited to […]
Research-a-Thon: Understanding Bill C-69
Calling all students who have taken Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law or the Environmental Justice & Sustainability Clinic: You are invited to direct your collective brain power toward collecting data and researching legal outcomes that could help to debunk some of the arguments currently being used to prevent new federal impact assessment legislation from being […]
Holding the Carbon Majors Accountable: Philippines Human Rights Commission investigates big polluters for their role in causing climate change
By Graham Reeder On 22 September 2015, Greenpeace Southeast Asia (Philippines), thirteen other non-profit organizations, disaster survivors, and notable individuals, with the support of tens of thousands of Filipinos, filed a petition before the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR) against the world’s largest investor-owned carbon and cement producers, known as the ‘Carbon […]
Discussion with ECO Commissioner, Dr. Dianne Saxe
Dianne Saxe is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), a tough but fair watchdog over Ontario’s environmental, energy and climate performance, and guardian of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 (EBR). Prior to her appointment in 2015, Dianne was one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers. She has 40 years’ unparalleled experience writing, interpreting, and litigating Ontario’s […]
Mikisew Cree First Nation v Canada: a missed opportunity on the path toward reconciliation
By Yvonne Mazurak The Crown has a legal obligation to consult with Indigenous peoples when its actions may negatively affect their constitutionally-protected rights. This duty to consult and accommodate was established by Haida Nation v British Columbia and is based on the principle of the honour of the Crown, which requires the Crown to act […]
Can a National Park And Its Trees And Animals Have Rights? Yes! Argues Maliseet Grand Council
By: Christina Persaud The Maliseet put forth a novel “Rights of Nature” argument, opposing Mount Carleton Snowmobile Hub In July 2015, the Government of New Brunswick announced plans to build a $1.4M snowmobile grooming hub at Mount Carleton Provincial Park. The motivation for developing this infrastructure is to promote the tourism sector, increasing the number […]
Can Law be used to Combat the Negative Effects of Gentrification?
By: Riel Hishon (JD Student at Osgoode Hall) Parkdale is a neighbourhood in south-west Toronto, spanning approximately from Roncesvalles Ave. to Dufferin St. from west to east, and Lake Ontario to Dundas St. from south to north. Gentrification is occurring in Parkdale. This is happening through the conversion of rooming houses into single-family homes, high-end […]
