2007 ELS Symposium Panels

This year's symposium will have a dual focus on the concept of voluntary “partnerships” as the emerging approach to coping with climate change as well as current and future emissions regulations in California. In our first panel, we hope to investigate California's role as a partner with other governments and businesses and to explore how this new trend in voluntary self-regulation will impact the traditional legal system and the role of industry in society. The second panel will then focus on developing an understanding on how California's legislative attempts will interact with these partnerships and to discuss what California lawyers and businesses need to know about reporting and compliance with climate change legislation.

Panel 1

The first panel will discuss whether partnerships arrangements will have the power of enforcement, how this new trend will affect the face of traditional international governments, and what changes those bodies will have to make to retain their sovereignty in the face of this privatization of government.

Panel 2

After lunch is provided, the second panel will focus on the state level regulations in California. In particular, this panel will provide insight into the recent Assembly Bills 1493 (2005) to reduce vehicle emissions and AB 32 which will establish a carbon trading program, and executive order S-3-05 which set target Green House Gas emissions as overseen by the CalEPA secretary.