Elena Kagan, Climate Realist

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Grist has an in-depth analysis of not-gay Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan’s environmental record. It’s pretty good! Of course, with a coalition of five unified conservatives on the bench she will probably face some resistance along the way, but that’s not her fault, is it?

Here’s the dirt on Earth-hating Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan: On more than one occasion she was so consumed by her work that she accidentally left her car running overnight, a longtime “friend” told The New York Times.

But it’s worth looking beyond this personal eco-foul to examine Kagan’s broader record on environmental and climate issues.

It’s immediately clear that Kagan’s no fire-breathing environmental crusader in the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. mold. Those looking for such a justice are bound to be disappointed. Kagan hasn’t written or said much at all about climate change or the government’s role in regulating clean air and water or protecting land and species. This fits with a broader critique from the left that she hasn’t left a record on anything that reveals her judicial philosophy.

But if actions mean more than words, Kagan’s nomination could be good news for the environmental movement. Kagan’s signature green accomplishments came during her six years as dean of Harvard Law School, from 2003 to 2009, where she led the creation of an Environmental Law Program and an Environmental Law and Policy Clinic.

To learn more about Kagan’s green record, check out the rest of the article here.

Editor’s note: Article by Jonathan Hiskes. Originally published by our friends at Grist.org. Grist is a media organization that has been dishing out environmental news and commentary with a humorous twist since 1999. Be sure to visit them and say hi, and follow Grist on Twitter, too!

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Image: Harvard Law Review