University of Denver Winter 2024
Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, similar to the use of eminent domain. Recently, he’s been studying the effects of climate change on water resources, namely the Colorado River, which provides water to over 40 million people in the southwestern United States. The Colorado River starts in Rocky Mountain National Park and is an important water source for the state. However, most of the water is sent downstream under the Colorado River Compact of 1922. The pact governs the river’s flow between seven southwestern states and is based on conditions at the time, which Lynch says were unusually wet. “They allocated more water rights on paper than water actually exists in
climate change together, if they do at all, and how that may influence their family decision making. “The idea that climate change might be affecting families really caught my attention,” he says. “It’s a new area I’m exploring for the first time.” He dug around in journals and re search literature but didn’t find anything in the family science space on climate change. So, he applied for a grant through DU’s Professional Research Opportunity for Faculty Fund and was awarded funding last summer. Perry and his team will start the study this winter. Their goal is to in terview 30 couples from the Denver area, half in a lower socio-economic status, and half higher. “We know that climate change is going to impact, or is already impacting, disadvantaged couples and families harder and faster, partly because of the environments they live in and resources they have access to,” says Perry. He wants to know, through his research, if more disadvantaged couples focus less on climate change and family planning because they are dealing with more immediate concerns like paying bills. Perry says there has been growing attention in psychology on how stress from climate change can impact mental health, from anxiety and depression to post-traumatic stress disorder. But the family relationship piece has been absent, and that is what he hopes to uncover. LEGAL RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES Ask Kevin Lynch what today’s most pressing environmental concern is, and he will say, emphatically, climate change. Lynch is an associate professor in the Sturm College of Law and the Ronald V. Yegge Clinical Director, and he teaches the Environmental Law Clinic. His career has been focused on environmental law issues related to climate change, air quality, water and energy policy. For years, Lynch and his colleagues in the law clinic have worked on envi ronmental issues along Colorado’s Front Range and Western Slope. The clinic became involved in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in 2012 when Longmont voters banned the process of extracting oil within city limits. Since then, Lynch has written a series of articles on fracking issues, such as when oil and gas regulations lead to the taking of private property under the
warming that may lead to the collapse of ocean ecosystems. In Colorado, extreme weather can have a devastating effect on plants and animals that exist only at high altitudes. “As the climate warms, it pushes them up further to higher altitudes, but eventually the mountains stop and there won’t be anywhere further for those ecosystems and individual creatures to migrate to,” he says, leading to a potential extinction event. While some of Lynch’s research is litigation based, his environmental work has always been grounded in climate change. Since joining DU in 2009, his writings have evolved from pushing back on incorrect claims from industry, to a
Addressing Eco-Distress
Eco-distress encompasses
Death Cafe movement, are judgment free spaces for people to discuss and find support while experiencing eco-distress, demonstrating DU’s recent commitment to students’ well-being within the 4D holistic educational model. The duo is also teaching a class on the topic to undergraduates, encouraging them to analyze what they’re experiencing through a psychological lens and foster self-empowerment for change.
emotions such as grief, depression,
distress, and guilt felt by individuals in response to a changing climate. This past fall, RadioEd sat down with GSSW professors Julia Senecal and Kristen Greenwald to learn how DU is taking innovative steps to address eco-distress in response to what they call “climate chaos.” For example, “climate cafes,” modeled after the
Listen to the RadioEd Eco-distress episode here.
the river today,” he says, adding that predictions point to a possible 40% decrease in river flow this century due to climate change. Lynch wrote a short piece on this topic for the Environmental Law Institute, entitled “Adapting to a 4°C World,” and recently expanded the piece for a book chapter to be published soon. He also works on behalf of clients who are concerned about the building of more dams and diversions along the river when there simply isn’t enough water. Biodiversity, wildlife and endangered species issues help fill the law clinic docket. Lynch points to climate change as a driver of acidification and ocean
more positive approach on what can be done proactively if the government were to meet this challenge and take action on climate change. Lynch has long written about fracking and related issues of regulation and property rights, and has recently expanded to water rights and rights of nature. As long as climate change continues to be a problem, Lynch and his colleagues in environmental law will continue to push for solutions in the legal realm.
WINTER 2024 • UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE | 31
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