Earth Day's Legacy: Rebuilding Environmental Governance for the 21st Century

Earth Day's Legacy: Rebuilding Environmental Governance for the 21st Century

Author: Environmental Law Institute April 22, 2026 Duration: 34:47

Fifty-six years ago, the first Earth Day helped spark a generation of landmark environmental legislation — and the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) was born from that same moment. On this Earth Day 2026, host Sebastian Duque Rios sits down with ELI President Jordan Diamond and Senior Attorney Jay Austin to trace the arc of environmental law from that founding era to the compounding crises of today.

Together, they reflect on how statutes like NEPA and the Clean Air Act were designed with more foresight than we often credit them for, why adaptive management is baked into the DNA of environmental law, and how ELI is responding to an era of rapid institutional change — from regulatory rollbacks and executive action to the governance challenges posed by emerging industries like deep sea mining, geothermal energy, and data centers. They also dig into ELI's new collaboration with the Federation of American Scientists' (FAS) Center for Regulatory Ingenuity and their joint white paper laying out a framework for rebuilding and reimagining environmental governance fit for the 21st century.


This episode is a candid, long-view conversation about what it takes to protect people, places, and the planet. For more information on other emerging topics in environmental law, see our recent episode, "What's Next for Environmental Law in 2026."

★ Support this podcast ★

Produced by the Environmental Law Institute, People Places Planet is a conversation grounded in the practical realities of environmental stewardship. This podcast moves beyond abstract theory to explore how laws, policies, and innovative governance models are actively applied. Each episode features discussions with practitioners, scientists, legal experts, and community leaders who are directly engaged in crafting and implementing solutions. You’ll hear nuanced analysis on the intersection of business, regulation, and education, focusing on tangible outcomes rather than just identifying problems. The dialogue consistently centers on how complex frameworks operate in the real world, affecting specific communities, ecosystems, and industries. Listening provides a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that drive environmental progress and the challenges that arise at the intersection of human activity and planetary health. It’s an essential resource for anyone curious about the foundational rules and creative strategies shaping our relationship with the environment, offering clarity on the legal and policy threads woven through every environmental issue. Tune in for thoughtful, expert-driven perspectives that connect the dots between policy texts and their impact on the ground.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

People Places Planet
Podcast Episodes
Protecting the Right to Participate: Aarhus & Escazú [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:57
What does it take to give people a meaningful voice in environmental decision-making? In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Natalie Triana, joined by ELI Senior Attorney Kristine Perry, explore two landmark reg…
Forever Chemicals, State Solutions: New Mexico's PFAS Playbook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:20
Forever chemicals are everywhere — in your carpet, your cookware, your cosmetics, and increasingly, your drinking water. PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — have been building up in our environment, our water, a…
TSCA, Explained [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:31
The Toxic Substances Control Act is the cornerstone of chemical regulation in the United States — but for most of its existence, it was widely considered unenforceable. In this episode of People, Places, Planet's Explain…
Welcome to People Places Planet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20
Ahead of our eighth season, here's a preview of what's to come in People, Places, Planet, a bi-weekly podcast from the Environmental Law Institute. From climate change and biodiversity loss to pollution and public health…