Using the Clean Air Act to Address Climate Change

In an attempt to address global changes in climate, the Obama administration plans to use the Clean Air Act to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The first set of proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations -- aimed at reducing power plants' carbon emissions -- is due by Sept. 20.

In a live webcast conversation, three Duke scholars discussed the legal, political, environmental and economic implications of the proposed regulations.

Participating in the conversation is Jonas Monast, director of the Climate and Energy Program at Duke's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions; Robert Brenner a senior fellow at the Nicholas Institute; and Jonathan Wiener, the William R. and Thomas L. Perkins Professor of Law at Duke Law School.

In announcing this summer his intention to use the Clean Air Act to limit greenhouse gas emissions, President Obama said, "For the sake of our children, and the health and safety of all Americans, I' m directing the Environmental Protection Agency to put an end to the limitless dumping of carbon pollution from our power plants, and complete new pollution standards for both new and existing power plants."

"Office Hours" is a live webcast series for the university community and others to engage with Duke scholars and their research.