Akin Gump Energy Law Advisor Article Examines Impact of Unified Government on Climate Change Legislation

The Institute for Energy Law’s Energy Law Advisor has published the article “From Sea Change to Sea Levels Rising: What a Unified Democratic Government Means for Climate Change Action,” written by Akin Gump environment and natural resources consultant Kenneth Markowitz, public law and policy counsel Christopher Treanor, and environment and natural resources associate Bryan Williamson.

First published as a blog post on Akin Gump’s AG Speaking Energy, the article examines the potential impact of Democratic control of Congress and the Executive Branch on environmental and climate change issues. The authors suggest that the unified government “will require the cooperation of the more moderate members from both parties…[and] is likely to look to more politically palatable, incremental ways to accelerate the United States’ response to environmental and climate impacts with an economy still struggling from a global pandemic.”

The article concludes by noting that, while there are various rule changes or procedures available to congressional Democrats “that could lead to more robust climate and environmental legislation,” they, along with President Biden, “will need to decide if they are going to make climate change a priority that warrants the use of budget reconciliation or filibuster reform, or if they will rely on a more targeted strategy of winning smaller victories wherever feasible.”

To read the article, in full, please click here.