CUNY Law School Center for Urban Environmental Reform

03/22/2023

I am delighted to share the second installment of The Earth Defenders. This comic novella tells stories from environmental defenders around the world and shares the dangers they face as they struggle to protect their lands, their cultures, and our earth. The project is happening under the auspices of and . Working with artist Charlie LaGreca-Velasco and writer Jeff LaGreca has been such a fruitful partnership.

The Earth Defenders graphic novella The Keepers is a series of vignettes telling the stories of environmental defenders. Each vignette depicts brave fictional characters taking action to defend the forest, the water, the land, or the air. The stories span the globe and are drawn from real life situa...

01/10/2023

CUER is proud to have worked alongside community members, my CUNY Law students, and a team of amazing lawyers from , and to make this happen. Together we can build real in .

The settlement provides for independent oversight of waste transfer stations’ efforts to contain odor, noise, dust, and manage stormwater New York, NY, January 4, 2023 – Two residents of Southeast […]

11/18/2022

Interested in Constitutional Environmental Rights? Here is an opportunity to learn more about New York's new constitutional right, and Montana's 50 year old right.

MDEHR' hosted a webinar with legal experts from Montana and New York, who can speak to insights, lessons, and the impact of having the right to a clean and h...

10/07/2022

Prof. Bratspies speaking with journalist Mike Gilliam and activist Omowale Clay about the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, environmental racism, and environmental justice

Let It Rip breaks down how decades of systemic racism is at the root of Jackson, Mississippi’s water crisis and the recent mass exoneration by the Brooklyn D...

10/06/2022

Professor Bratspies talking in New York City on

Hannah Perls speaks with Professor Rebecca Bratspies of the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law and founding Director of the Center for Urban Environmental Reform, which works with community groups seeking to obtain full and meaningful participation in environmental decision-making. The...

10/04/2022

Join us to discuss “The Environmental Rights Amendment: By and For New Yorkers” on October 12th from 7-8:30pm.

What exactly is it?
What could it do for your community?
How might it advance environmental justice?

In a discussion moderated by Kate Kurera Environmental Advocates NY , speakers Professor Rebecca Bratspies CUNY School of Law Anthony Rogers-Wright NY Lawyers, Maya van Rossum (Green Amendment for the Generations & Delaware Riverkeeper Network), and Michael Youhana Earthjustice will help answer these questions and suggest ways we can use the Environmental Rights Amendment to strengthen environmental protection moving
forward.
You can register for the discussion here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SMS5eQbSQN2mco6Ff2aZPQ.

We hope that you’ll join us, and please share the event with anyone that might be interested!

09/02/2022

Join us on 9/20 for a discussion of . is a model for linking decarbonization with decarceration to build a fairer, greener New York in the face of a . 6:00 pm at CUNY Law (also on zoon) https://www.climateweeknyc.org/events/see-transformation-renewable-rikers-how-power-city?fbclid=IwAR1Y6hSjbsXprZa_c94rkRUeS3sDPtKdMQQo_SADW4abXkFbmOpo2BfqpIs

Renewable Rikers is a plan to transform Rikers Island into renewable infrastructure once the infamous jail closes. Step by step, Renewable Rikers is becoming real. The documentary “How To Power A City” caught a portion of this process on camera. This event features discussion with advocates maki...

08/20/2022

Delighted to finally announce that Book 3 of the Environmental Justice Chronicles is available for download. Free for any educational or non-commercial use. Check out how Mayah (Mayah’s Lot) and Bina (Bina’s Plant) persuade to run for mayor against establishment candidate C.C. DeNier. Troop runs for public office on a platform, joining forces with like-minded candidates to take on fossil fuel infrastructure that threatens Forestville.

Troop’s Run is the third volume of the Environmental Justice Chronicles. Forestville is once again under threat—this time from a fossil fuel pipeline that might jeopardize all the environmental pro…

08/17/2022

A chilling reminder of what the portends

Hunger Stone : The recent droughts in Europe once again made visible the "Hunger Stones" in some Czech and German rivers. These stones were used to mark desperately low river levels that would forecast famines.
This one, in the Elbe river, is from 1616 and says: "If you see me, cry"

08/06/2022

CUER's work recognized

Professor & CUER Founder Rebecca Bratspies is recognized for her contributions to international law at the intersection of human rights, climate change, natural resources, and health by the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law's Human Rights Programme.

08/06/2022

CUER's work recognized

Professor & CUER Founder Rebecca Bratspies is recognized for her contributions to international law at the intersection of human rights, climate change, natural resources, and health by the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law's Human Rights Programme.