Environmental Law Alert Blog

Through our Environmental Law Alert blog, West Coast keeps you up to date on the latest developments and issues in environmental law. This includes:

  • proposed changes to the law that will weaken, or strengthen, environmental protection;
  • stories and situations where existing environmental laws are failing to protect the environment; and
  • emerging legal strategies that could be used to protect our environment.

If you have an environmental story that we should hear about, please e-mail Andrew Gage. We welcome your comments on any of the posts to this blog – but please keep in mind our policies on comments.

2020 Canadian Law Blog Awards Winner

Throughout 2024, the RELAW (Revitalizing Indigenous Law for Land, Air, and Water) Program has been privileged to support and witness incredible examples of Indigenous law in action. Here are some highlights that we may celebrate on the shortest day and longest night of the year.

The federal government has published its draft Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap Regulations. These regulations will be critical for helping ensure Canada meets its climate targets, but only if they are strengthened and passed as soon as possible.

During the latest UN climate conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, climate-induced migration was one of the key issues in the spotlight for world leaders and climate experts.

If the federal emissions cap deserves any criticism, it is that it is not enough. Despite the urgency of climate change and the lack of adequate action by provincial governments or the oil and gas sector, the federal government has bent over backward to accommodate provincial and industry interests.

In 2024, West Coast Environmental Law is celebrating our 50th anniversary – marking five action-packed decades of legal research, advocacy and action in service of nature and communities. 

From October 21-November 1, 2024, world leaders are going to be gathering in Cali, Colombia for the 16th Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity – also known as COP16, or NatureCOP. We are excited to have two West Coast staff lawyers joining them. Keep reading to learn why and take action for nature.

We know Canadians care about the health of the marine environment. Let's advocate for a stronger Ocean Noise Strategy and quieter future for the ocean.

British Columbians are heading to the polls on October 19th, and BC Election 2024 campaigns are in full swing. Not sure what to say when your candidates come knocking? Our lawyers have put together a list of five questions for BC election candidates about a few key priorities for nature and communities.

Fall is a wonderful time to get out in the woods with family. This fall, as British Columbia is gearing up for the upcoming provincial election, it’s also a crucial time to be thinking about the government policies and laws we need to maintain healthy, thriving forests into the future. 

As we head into election season in BC, brace yourself for a lot of talk about managing taxpayer dollars and balancing budgets. But let’s make sure that politicians can’t duck a pressing financial question that’s only getting worse: how are we going to pay for the rising costs of climate change?