The Fragile Menagerie: Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, and the Law

Authors

James M. Chen, Michigan State University College of LawFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 2018

Publication Citation

93 Indiana Law Journal 303 (2018)

Abstract

I. THE HIPPODROME OF THE GODS: RACING AGAINST ECOLOGICAL AND

EVOLUTIONARY APOCALYPSE....................................................................... 304

II. ACROSS THE APOCALYPSE ON HORSEBACK: LEGAL RESPONSES

TO BIODIVERSITY LOSS .................................................................................... 310

A. OVERKILL ........................................................................................... 310

B. ALIEN INVASIVE SPECIES ..................................................................... 316

C. HABITAT DESTRUCTION AND PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT .................. 321

1. ISLAND BIOGEOGRAPHY .............................................................. 321

2. PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT..................................................... 325

III. THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT: FROM PRIVATE LANDS TO

GLOBAL COMMONS .......................................................................................... 329

A. ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT MECHANICS .............................................. 330

1. LISTING ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES....................... 330

2. CRITICAL HABITAT ..................................................................... 333

3. INTERAGENCY CONSULTATION .................................................... 333

B. HABITAT CONSERVATION ON PRIVATE LANDS...................................... 335

C. ΑΡΚΤΟΎΡΟΣ: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE “LAST GREAT WILDERNESS”... 340

IV. THE LAW OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE MITIATION IN THE

ANTHROPOCENE ............................................................................................................................ 347

A. A NEW EPOCH..................................................................................... 347

B. AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHOS INTENDED TO ENDURE FOR AGEST TO COME…353

C. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ON THE LAST PROMONTORY

OF THE CENTURIES................................................................................... 354

1. REVITALIZING ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ......................................... 354

2. NEPA AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER ................................... 357

3. PRAGMATIC MODESTY ................................................................ 360

4. FOR NOWADAYS THE WORLD IS LIT BY LIGHTNING ..................... 364

Recommended Citation

Chen, James M. (2018) "The Fragile Menagerie: Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, and the Law," Indiana Law Journal: Vol. 93: Iss. 2, Article 2.
Available at: https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol93/iss2/2