Earthjustice is a nonprofit public interest environmental law organization, using the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change.
- Rising Temperatures in the Land Down Under are a Human Rights IssueRising Temperatures in the Land Down Under are a Human Rights Issue A coalition of international and Australian environmental and human rights lawyers are calling for the United Nations Human Rights Council to review Australia’s human rights record in light of the government's inaction on climate change. Hundreds of thousands of Australians joined the global climate strike in September 2019, calling for urgent climate action from one of the world's top exporters of fossil fuels. John Englart / Flickr Update: On January 20, 2021, all eyes were on Australia when the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working…
- Until the Earth Thrives, We Will Never RestUntil the Earth Thrives, We Will Never Rest After four years of fighting the worst administration for the environment in this country’s history, we have the opportunity to repair and rebuild. We are living in a moment of transformative change. The intertwining crises of climate, public health, rampant inequality, and extinction are laying bare the many ways in which our current systems are broken, and the huge challenges that lie ahead. But as difficult as this moment is, it also holds the promise that we can make common cause to turn the tide and start to create a healthier and…
- Court Denies Permit to Mine That Would Damage Tribe’s Namesake RiverCourt Denies Permit to Mine That Would Damage Tribe’s Namesake River The Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin is suing to block the Back Forty Mine from polluting a pristine river and desecrating sacred sites. Menominee youth gather at the mouth of the Menominee River with Tribal Chairman Douglas Cox and high school teacher Dawn Wilber. Kiliii Yuyan for Earthjustice It’s no accident that the river that divides the places known today as Wisconsin and Michigan bears the same name as the Menominee Tribe. The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin lived along the Menominee River for thousands of years, and evidence of…
- Trump’s Insurrection Shows We Must Strengthen Protection of Our DemocracyTrump’s Insurrection Shows We Must Strengthen Protection of Our Democracy Congress must immediately remove Trump from the office of the presidency. Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021. Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the 2020 presidential election electoral vote certification. Roberto Schmidt / Getty Images Wednesday, January 6th was a day when we expected political theater, with Vice President Pence certifying the November election results over the baseless objections of lawmakers who continue to make dangerous false claims about its legitimacy…
- La Insurrección De Trump Demuestra Que Debemos Fortalecer La Protección De Nuestra DemocraciaLa Insurrección De Trump Demuestra Que Debemos Fortalecer La Protección De Nuestra Democracia El Congreso debe destituir inmediatamente a Trump de su cargo Los partidarios de Trump se enfrentan a la policía y las fuerzas de seguridad mientras asaltan el Capitolio de los Estados Unidos en Washington, D.C. el 6 de enero de 2021. Los manifestantes violaron protocolos de seguridad y entraron al Capitolio mientras el Congreso debatía la certificación del voto electoral de las elecciones presidenciales de 2020. Roberto Schmidt / Getty Images El 6 de enero esperábamos un show político, con el vicepresidente Mike Pence certificando los resultados…
- You’ve Probably Never Heard of This DOJ Division, but It’s Key to Rebuilding Our Environmental PolicyYou’ve Probably Never Heard of This DOJ Division, but It’s Key to Rebuilding Our Environmental Policy Here’s why we’re eager to see who will lead DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building Wally Gobetz / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Earthjustice is pleased to see that President-elect Biden plans to name Merrick Garland as the nation’s next Attorney General. Judge Garland has had a distinguished career at DOJ, in practice and on the bench, and has a clear understanding of the role of government in environmental protection. While Judge Garland will himself have a great deal of…
- Hawaiʻi Scores Another Big Win in Stopping Harmful Aquarium Fishing, Protecting Reefs and Native HawaiiansHawaiʻi Scores Another Big Win in Stopping Harmful Aquarium Fishing, Protecting Reefs and Native Hawaiians Court closes loophole that allowed industry to illegally extract over half a million marine animals from Hawai‘i reefs in the last two years. An aquarium collector takes fish from a reef in Hawai`i. Photo courtesy of Brooke Everett Scuba diver Rene Umberger knows that the aquarium fishing industry is a deadly business. And not just for the fish. While out on a diving and snorkeling expedition in 2014 to document destructive fishing activities off the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, she was…
- Congress Has a Chance to Prevent the Downfall of Our FisheriesCongress Has a Chance to Prevent the Downfall of Our Fisheries By introducing a discussion draft to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Representatives Jared Huffman and Ed Case have taken a major step towards securing sustainable fisheries. Anchovies, an essential food source for many marine predators, have suffered from overfishing for years. EVANTRAVELS / GETTY IMAGES Thank you to Representatives Jared Huffman and Ed Case for taking an important step towards securing sustainable fisheries by introducing a discussion draft to reauthorize our nation’s fisheries statute, the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored just how vulnerable and important our fisheries are,…
- Government Funding Bill Will Pave the Way for More Ambitious Environmental AgendaGovernment Funding Bill Will Pave the Way for More Ambitious Environmental Agenda We look forward to working with President-elect Biden and Congress to make the needed investments to tackle the COVID-19 and the climate and environmental justice crises in the coming years. MEDIOIMAGES / GETTY IMAGES Today Congress will vote on end-of-year legislation to fund the government, which also includes new energy provisions and relief funding to address the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The package includes more than 1,500 pages of key funding and reauthorizations to fight climate change, support frontline communities, and protect our environment. However, the bill also contains harmful provisions, especially the nearly $1.4 billion in funds for the Trump administration’s border wall construction,…
- In Honor of Elizabeth J. McCormackIn Honor of Elizabeth J. McCormack We celebrate a life committed to charity and counsel as we honor Elizabeth J. McCormack. Earthjustice honorary life trustee Elizabeth McCormack (seated) smiles for a photograph with fellow trustee Elizabeth Sutherland. McCormack died on December 4, 2020, in her home in New York City. Earthjustice joins so many in mourning the passing of Elizabeth J. McCormack. A legend in the worlds of philanthropy and education, Elizabeth left a reverberating and indelible mark on the lives all who were lucky enough to come into contact with her. “Everyone in her vast network of colleagues and…
- That Deadly Fog in ‘The Crown’ Was Real. Here’s the Rest of the Story.That Deadly Fog in ‘The Crown’ Was Real. Here’s the Rest of the Story. In Netflix’s hit show on the royals, there’s an unbelievable story about air pollution. But the Great Smog of London was all too real — and still relevant today. John Lithgow, center, plays Winston Churchill in the series "The Crown." Image Courtesy of Netflix As Netflix’s “The Crown” gains popularity, more people are seeing an early episode involving the Great Smog of 1952. In this real-life crisis, thousands of Londoners died from five days of heavy fog laced with air pollution. When the fog appears, it…
- Es Hora de Imaginar y Exigir el Mundo Que Nos MerecemosEs Hora de Imaginar y Exigir el Mundo Que Nos Merecemos Sin visión no hay creación, por eso hacemos una ilustración de un mundo justo. Left: GomezDavid / Getty Images; Right: Sally Deng for Earthjustice El denso humo impedía respirar con normalidad. Hombres, mujeres y niños huyeron de la ciudad en masa, desesperados por escapar del creciente calor y las llamas que lanzaban escombros. El incendio de Chicago en 1871dejó 300 muertos, uno de cada tres residentes sin hogar y miles de edificios del centro en cenizas. Sin embargo, la ciudad se reconstruyó en un espacio de dos años, esta…
- It’s Time to Imagine — and Demand — the World We DeserveIt’s Time to Imagine — and Demand — the World We Deserve You can’t create what you can’t see. That’s why we’ve illustrated our own vision for a just world. Left: GomezDavid / Getty Images; Right: Sally Deng for Earthjustice The smoke was so thick they choked when they breathed. Men, women, and children fled the city in droves, desperate to escape the spiraling heat and debris-spitting flames. The 1871 Chicago fire left 300 people dead, one-in-three residents homeless, and thousands of downtown buildings in ashes. Yet within two years, the city rebuilt, this time using fireproof materials and creating…
- Keeping the Wolverine Wild in a Climate CrisisKeeping the Wolverine Wild in a Climate Crisis Wolverines are among the fiercest creatures on the planet, yet even they are fighting to survive in a warming world. Wolverines, says journalist and wildlife biologist Douglas H. Chadwick, are "not afraid of anything. They climb peaks that human climbers turn back from. So they're just fearless, and they're tireless, and they got no end of attitude." Photo Courtesy of Dale Pedersen Wolverines are some of the fiercest creatures alive. Yet scientists warn that melting snowpack caused by climate change may make it impossible for wolverines to survive the next century without…
- Montana Supreme Court Deals Final Blow to Mining Plan Near YellowstoneMontana Supreme Court Deals Final Blow to Mining Plan Near Yellowstone A giant gold mining project proposal near Yellowstone National Park is officially dead, and Montanans’ right to stop such unlawful projects is upheld, with far-reaching impacts. Emigrant Peak rises above the Paradise Valley and the Yellowstone River. Matthew Brown / AP Who says men (and women) can’t move mountains? Paradise Valley, the northern gateway to Yellowstone National Park, is officially now safe from a destructive mining project after the Montana Supreme Court ruled a Canadian company’s bid to mine for gold is illegal. Earthjustice brought a case challenging the…
- An Open Letter on DAPLAn Open Letter on DAPL “Our experience is that the U.S. does not honor the treaties of their grandfathers,” writes the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s historic preservation officer. Jon Eagle Sr. Stephen Yang for Earthjustice Jon Eagle Sr. is the historic preservation officer for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Earthjustice is representing the Tribe in its years-long effort to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline, which threatens the Tribe’s lands. This statement was originally filed in federal district court. Hau Mitakuyepi. Anpetu ki le, cante waste nape ciyuza pelo. Hehaka Ska imaciyapi, na wasicu eya Jon Eagle Sr., hemaca. Hunkpapa…
- World Trade Organization Is Negotiating New Agreement to Protect Our Oceans From OverfishingWorld Trade Organization Is Negotiating New Agreement to Protect Our Oceans From Overfishing Earthjustice is one of more than 160 leading environmental organizations that have signed on in support of ending unsustainable funding practices One of the ocean's biggest and most powerful fish, bluefin tuna are disappearing because of commercial fishing in the areas where they reproduce. UGO MONTALDO / SHUTTERSTOCK First, the bad news: Overfishing, one of the biggest threats to our planet, is happening far away from public view, in the middle of the world’s oceans. Now, the hopeful news: This problem is preventable, and world leaders are…
- Es Hora De Decirle Adiós Al Gas DomésticoEs Hora De Decirle Adiós Al Gas Doméstico Los aparatos de gas están contaminando nuestros hogares. Las líneas de gas provocan trágicas explosiones. Electrificar nuestra oferta de viviendas puede ayudar. Mari Rose Taruc John Osgood para Earthjustice Imagine que usted se muda a un apartamento o una casa. Le pregunta al propietario si hay alguna inquietud que deba conocer. El propietario responde que no, aparte del material altamente explosivo que atraviesa sus paredes y cimientos. Agrega que no hay que preocuparse por el riesgo de explosión, en caso de un terremoto que rompa las tuberías (que no han tenido mejoras…
- Chemicals Lurking in Toys and Costumes are Harmful to Children. EPA Must Act Now.Chemicals Lurking in Toys and Costumes are Harmful to Children. EPA Must Act Now. Plastics are everywhere: in couches, televisions, makeup, toys, costumes, and even children’s bodies. New reports show the dangers synthetic chemicals in plastics pose to children’s health. Are your children's plastic toys and costumes safe for their health? Photo by SupportPDX Two recent reports released by the EU-based groups, Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) and the Regional Activity Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP/RAC), are among the first large-scale efforts to illustrate plastic pollution not only as an environmental threat, but also as a problem of chemical safety…
- Joe Biden Gana: Es Hora de Trabajar por el Planeta y Los que la HabitanJoe Biden Gana: Es Hora de Trabajar por el Planeta y Los que la Habitan La gente ha hablado en las urnas y Joe Biden es el presidente electo, pero el trabajo no termina aquí. Andrew Harnik / AP Photo La gente ha hablado en las urnas y Joe Biden es el presidente electo, pero el trabajo no termina aquí. Los últimos cuatro años fueron una prueba de supervivencia y ahora es momento de reconstruir para que podamos prosperar en verdad. Es hora de un cambio transformador que construya un mundo equitativo, justo y resistente al clima, sin dejar a…
- Cada Voto CuentaCada Voto Cuenta Una papeleta sigue siendo una papeleta, ya sea que se envíe por correo o se deposite en una urna de forma presencial. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images Aún desconocemos el resultado final de las elecciones de 2020. Earthjustice apoya los esfuerzos legales para que se haga un recuento completo de los votos. La protesta pacífica también puede contribuir a garantizar elecciones justas. Nuestro medio ambiente, nuestro clima y nuestra democracia están en juego. La precisión e integridad de la elección depende de contar cada voto. Una papeleta sigue siendo una papeleta, ya sea que se…
- Stopping the EPA’s Attack on Clean Water ProtectionsStopping the EPA’s Attack on Clean Water Protections Earthjustice files a new lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's giveaway to the coal power industry. A coal plant in Wyoming Greg Goebel / CC BY-SA 2.0 Earthjustice filed a new lawsuit today challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) weakening of rules originally designed to protect people and the environment from water contaminated by coal ash. Instead, the EPA’s changes to these rules protect the coal industry over all else. For most of the 20th century, coal-fired power plants generated the majority of energy used in the United States. As we adopt new…
