If you're interested in purchasing Adapting to High Level Warming: Law, Governance, and Equity, please visit ELI's website for more information.

What happens when climate projections exceed our current legal frameworks and planning models? In this episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albrecht explores the provocative premise behind Adapting to High Level Warming, the fifth volume in the Environmental Law Collaborative’s book series published by ELI Press. Joined by editors Katy Kuh and Shannon Roesler, as well as chapter authors Sarah Fox and Kevin Lynch, the conversation delves into how legal scholars are grappling with the likelihood of 3–4°C warming scenarios.

Fox introduces the concept of “climate-changed communities” and the pressures local governments face as they adapt to new environmental realities. Lynch discusses the double-edged nature of preemption law, which can either enable or obstruct needed climate action at the local level. With commentary from editors Katy Kuh and Shannon Roesler, the conversation highlights how law and governance must be reimagined and stretched to meet the needs of a radically changed climate. With insights ranging from historic preservation to energy policy, this episode underscores why preparing for worst-case scenarios is no longer alarmist—but necessary.

Featured chapters:

• Climate-Changed Communities (07:53) by Sarah Fox.
• Preemption: Opportunities and Obstacles for Climate Adaptation (31:39) by Kevin J. Lynch.

Wetlands play a critical role in protecting communities from climate change, but restoring and sustaining them in a shifting climate is no easy task. In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Dara Albrecht examines the impact of climate change on wetland sites through the lens of compensatory mitigation, a process through which developers offset permitted impacts to wetlands and streams by funding or conducting ecological restoration elsewhere, and how, if at all, mitigation practitioners are responding to ensure climate resiliency in their projects.

Guests Dr. Meghan Halabisky, Dave Groves, and Karen Johnson bring different perspectives to the table: Halabisky offers a scientific overview of how climate change is impacting wetlands, while Groves and Johnson discuss the regulatory and practical constraints and opportunities that practitioners are facing. The conversation covers site planning, ecological monitoring, and the tension between policy requirements and the realities of climate adaptation. Rather than prescribing easy solutions, the episode explores the complexities of ensuring long term sustainability at mitigation sites experiencing climate change.

In this special ELPAR edition of People, Places, Planet, host Dara Albrecht is joined by guest co-hosts Linda Breggin and Mara Pusic to explore one of this year’s top Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review (ELPAR) articles: “A Contractual Relationship with Environmental Justice,” authored by Professor Seema Kakade. Joined by guests Maia Hutt of the Southern Environmental Law Center and Shanika Amarakoon of Eastern Research Group, this episode dives into the potential of corporate-community agreements as a tool for environmental justice.

Professor Kakade lays out a bold proposal for environmental nonprofits to establish transactional legal practice groups focused on supporting communities in negotiating legally binding agreements with polluting industries. Together, the group discusses the promise and pitfalls of such agreements, from trust-building and legal enforceability to tailoring support for under-resourced communities and ensuring long-term accountability. They also reflect on the challenges of shifting environmental justice strategies in the face of evolving federal priorities.

Whether you’re a policymaker, practitioner, or student of environmental law, this conversation offers innovative, on-the-ground approaches to equity and environmental protection. To view the other top articles selected this year, visit the ELPAR page on ELI's website.

In this episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Jeffrey Peterson, environmental policy expert and author of A New Coast: Strategies for Responding to Devastating Storms and Rising Seas. Together, they unpack the science behind sea level rise, its regional impacts, and the urgent challenges it poses for coastal communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems.

The conversation explores the key drivers of sea level rise, regional vulnerabilities across the U.S., and the growing risks tied to accelerating climate change. Peterson also dives into the legal and policy dimensions of adaptation, discussing land use controls, managed retreat, insurance frameworks, and emerging litigation around takings and government responsibility. The episode highlights how sea level rise will reshape planning, governance, and community resilience for generations to come.

Listeners interested in learning more about legal and policy responses to climate impacts can visit ELI's Climate Judiciary Project website to explore additional resources, including the new Sea Level Rise module.

In this installment of the People Places Planet Explained Series, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Robin Rotman, Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri, and Camille Pannu, Associate Professor at Columbia Law School and Director of the Environmental and Climate Justice Clinic, to break down the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)—the cornerstone law protecting America's drinking water.

The conversation covers SDWA’s origins, its regulatory reach over public water systems, and the emerging challenges tied to small system compliance, contaminants like PFAS, and growing infrastructure needs. Rotman and Pannu explain key concepts such as maximum contaminant levels, variances, citizen suits, and the relationship between SDWA and the Clean Water Act. They also discuss notable cases like Des Moines Water Works and Flint, Michigan, and examine how funding limitations and legal battles shape drinking water protections today. Looking forward, they reflect on future developments in private well regulation, point-of-use treatment technologies, and technical assistance for vulnerable communities.

This episode offers an essential primer for anyone interested in how public health, environmental law, and infrastructure converge at the tap.

Correction: The percentage of homes not on a regulated water system in the United States is roughly 15 to 20 percent, not 30 percent as cited in a former version of this episode.

In this special episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albrecht and ELI Senior Attorney Linda Breggin take us to Nashville for Food Waste Prevention Week, where local leaders across sectors are driving innovative efforts to reduce food waste. With nearly one-third of U.S. food going uneaten each year—impacting the environment, economy, and communities—this conversation showcases how one city is tackling the challenge head-on.

Linda speaks with four inspiring guests whose work spans K-12 education, higher ed, hospitality, and professional sports:

• Todd Lawrence (04:28), Executive Director of Urban Green Lab, explains how training teachers and conducting school cafeteria waste audits are empowering the next generation to take action.
• David ter Kuile (18:32), Associate Vice Chancellor at Vanderbilt University, walks us through how campus dining hit its zero waste goals through composting, waste tracking, and student engagement.
• Tyler Lee (34:44), Executive Chef at 1 Hotel Nashville, shares how local sourcing, zero-waste cocktails, and creative kitchen strategies are changing the hospitality landscape.
• Haley Davidson (49:48), Chief of Staff for the Tennessee Titans, describes how Nashville’s NFL team is designing a new LEED Gold stadium with food waste reduction in mind—and how it’s already making a difference at Nissan Stadium.

From teaching tools to technology to teamwork, this episode explores scalable strategies for reducing food waste and building more resilient communities. Whether you're in a school, university, restaurant, or stadium, there's something here for everyone.

Related Links:

• ELI's Center for State and Local Governance, Food Waste Initiative
• Urban Green Lab resources on food waste reduction
• Food Waste Warrior Audit
• James Beard Foundation and Nashville Food Waste Initiative Food Scrap Cooking Demonstration
• Waste Not Cooking Competition

Nutritious food in schools is essential for student health, academic success, and a more sustainable future. In this episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Linda Breggin, Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law Institute, along with Nancy Weiss, a chef and former Director of Food Services at Santa Barbara Unified School District, and Audrey Sanchez, Executive Director of Balanced, a nonprofit working to improve public health through healthier food environments. Together, they explore how thoughtful school food policies and plant-based menu innovations can improve student wellness while supporting environmental goals. The episode highlights local success stories, including how Santa Barbara became a national leader in integrating plant-based proteins, and discusses practical strategies—from menu analysis to procurement planning and student engagement—that schools can use to create healthier, more inclusive food programs. The conversation also touches on the importance of leadership, community involvement, and systemic support in advancing nutrition equity and sustainability in public schools.

Each year, around one billion birds die from collisions with buildings in the United States—an alarming but preventable crisis driven by modern glass architecture. In this episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Viveca Morris of Yale Law School, Dan Piselli of FXCollaborative Architects, and Christine Sheppard of the American Bird Conservancy to explore the scope of the problem and the innovative solutions taking flight. The conversation highlights how science, design, and public policy are coming together to reduce bird-building collisions, with a focus on local laws in cities like New York and San Francisco that are driving industry change. The episode also touches on practical considerations (including challenges) in implementing these policies and the creative ways architects and policymakers are working to make buildings safer for birds—without compromising aesthetics or functionality. Listeners will gain insight into how legal frameworks, community action, and industry innovation are transforming the built environment to better protect wildlife.