Climate change poses unique and unprecedented legal challenges and raises profound issues of social justice. The new Wisconsin Initiative on Law and Climate Change (WILCC) seeks to respond to these challenges. It is a joint initiative of the University of Wisconsin Law School's Global Legal Studies Center and the Human Rights Program and is funded in part by the Laurie Carlson Progressive Ideas Forum.

WILCC seeks to prepare law students for challenges posed by climate change and to foster related scholarship. Spearheaded by Sumudu Atapattu and in collaboration with Professors Alexandra Huneeus, Heinz Klug, Richard Monette, Steph Tai, and others, WILCC will provide an opportunity for UW Law to begin to respond to what might be the greatest challenge of our time, one that could impact every facet of law.

"Not only do climate change impacts such as sea level rise and displacement give rise to legal questions, the measures we put in place to address climate change – such as energy and transportation options­ – also raise legal issues," said Atapattu. "We need to prepare the next generation of lawyers to address these issues."

Celebrate the launch of WILCC during a reception at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31, in the Law School Atrium. 

Submitted by Law School News on March 29, 2022

This article appears in the categories: Features

Related employee profiles: Sumudu Atapattu, Alexandra Huneeus, Heinz Klug, Richard Monette, Steph Tai