Case Western Saves The Planet With New Environmental Law Center

When Case Western Reserve University launches its Coleman P. Burke Center for Environmental Law this fall, director Jonathan Adler will have a simple task: create a curriculum that trains the next generation of green lawyers to save the planet. We talked to Adler about why the new program is so vital now. 

What is the purpose of the Burke Center? 

We want to be a focal point for research and discussion of environmental challenges and the solutions we might be able to bring to them. A place that is at the center of discussions about what we think of our current environmental laws and how we can reshape those laws to do a better job of meeting our environmental needs.  

Why is Cleveland the right place for a  program like this? 

This region has confronted its share of environmental issues. It’s also where a lot of environmental questions and concerns come together, like about taking care of the Great Lakes, water quality and how to deal with the legacies of formerly industrialized areas.

What do you hope the program accomplishes? 

To meet both our current environmental challenges and those that are going to emerge in the future, it’s going to require new thinking and the development of new approaches to dealing with various problems. We certainly see an opportunity to be part of that.