How lawyers can do pro bono drafting climate laws

Are you a lawyer looking to do pro bono work in an effort to save the environment? The Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization project – “LPDD,” for short – provides such an opportunity.
Even if you have no prior environmental law or legislation drafting experience, you can get involved with drafting model laws that can be adopted by all levels of government and the private sector to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

The LPDD is a group of volunteers committed to battling climate change through deep reductions in greenhouse emissions by providing thought leadership primarily by helping state and local jurisdictions enact laws. The volunteers are drawn from all areas of law – from law firms, in-house counsel, law professors, retired judges and government officials. The LPDD’s approach is a practical one – they aren’t looking to be unnecessarily controversial. They are more interested in getting laws enacted.

There are 4 ways you can get involved:

1. You can draft model laws, again – without any prior experience
2. If you’re experienced, you can conduct a peer review after someone has drafted a model law
3. You can conduct outreach to state & local leaders to get the model laws enacted there
4. You can tell other lawyers about this pro bono opportunity