Because law plays a key part in finding the balance between environmental and economic needs, ASU hosted the university's inaugural Sustainability Conference of American Legal Educators on May 8.

More than 60 law professors from around the country convened at the conference for panels on issues such as climate-change policy, natural-resources law, agricultural and food regulation, and disaster law. By assembling many of the nation’s preeminent legal scholars in these fields, the conference – hosted by the Program on Law and Sustainability at ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law – seeks to spur new research ideas and collaborations.

“Sustainability-related policy innovation is occurring at a rapid pace throughout the country, but there are limited opportunities for legal scholars researching in this area to come together and share ideas,” said sustainability scientist Troy Rule, who serves as faculty director of the Program on Law and Sustainability. “This conference will help to fill this gap.”