New York University School of Law has launched a new experiential learning lab focused on environmental inequities and public health issues affecting marginalized communities.
The Environmental and Climate Justice Lab is part of NYU Law’s Environmental Justice Initiative. The initiative is a joint effort between the law school’s Center on Race, Inequality and the Law and the Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law, which was announced last year.
The lab is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in research, policy advocacy and litigation support for community-based environmental justice organizations. Its work centers on issues such as access to clean air and water, environmental contamination and the disproportionate health impacts faced by low-income communities and communities of color.
In addition to litigation support, the lab will engage in data-driven policy research examining how racial bias and income disparities shape environmental exposure and health outcomes. The program also aims to assist local organizations that face limited resources and legal capacity.
The launch comes amid broader federal staffing reductions affecting environmental enforcement and oversight agencies, underscoring the role of law schools and nonprofit organizations in supporting environmental justice advocacy and community-based legal work.
