1. Diane Henkels, Attorney at Law
LAW and SUSTAINABILITY
University of Oregon
Sustainability Leadership Program
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/image/globalimages.html

2. Environmental stressors
 US EPA first addresses leaching of
toxic waste at Love Canal, NY town
built on industrial dump site (1978)
 Union Carbide plant in Bhopal,
India leaks methyl isocyanate gas
(1984)
 Nuclear reactor in Chernobyl,
Ukraine, former USSR, explodes
and releases radioactive fallout
(1986)
 Desertification, floods, and other
natural disasters

3. International Law and Sustainability
 Stockholm Declaration (1972)
 Our Common Future: Report of the United
Nations World Commission on Environment and
Development (“Brundtland Report”) (1987)
 First Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change Report (1989)
 Rio Earth Summit (1992)
---Agenda 21
---Statement of Forest Principles
---UN Convention on Biological Diversity
---UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

4. “It is the responsibility of government to protect and
improve the environment for both present and
future generations.”
Stockholm Declaration of the United Nations
Conference on the Human Environment
United Nations Environmental Program 1972

5. SustainableSustainable DevelopmentDevelopment
““Ensuring that developmentEnsuring that development
meets the needs of the presentmeets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability ofwithout compromising the ability of
future generationsfuture generations
to meet their own needs.”to meet their own needs.”
1987 “Our Common Future” (Brundtland Report)1987 “Our Common Future” (Brundtland Report)

6. • Photo credit: http://www.greenpeace.org.ukPhoto credit: http://www.greenpeace.org.uk

7. Federal Law and
Sustainability
Kivalina
EO 35014

8. Sustainability metaphors and concepts
 Closing the loop &
Life-cycle analysis
 3-legged stool &
nested baskets
 Intergenerational
equity
Linear production model
Raw materials
Product
Waste

9. Sustainability standards in the Private Sector
 Ceres Principles,
Global Reporting Initiative,
B Corporation
 Leaders in Energy
Engineering and Design
(LEED)
 Forest Stewardship Council
 International Standards
Organization 14000
 Kimberly Process

10. Oregon Law and Sustainability
Sustainability Act of 2001
Renewable Portfolio
Standards of 2007
Business Corporation Act 1987-
Benefit companies 2014
Environmental justice 2007
Oregon Plan 1999
Public procurement--DAS
Sustainability 2008
Beach Bill
1913, 1967
(HB 1601)
Land use
planning 1973

11. Sustainability and
the Oregon State Bar
Sustainability Task Force Report (2009)
Oregon State Bar Bylaw 26
Sustainable Future Section