Since the Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, it has undergone seven evolutionary eras and five mass extinctions. Today, we are in what many refer to as the Anthropocene—the era of humans—which may also be marked by a sixth mass extinction. To grasp the magnitude of this era, imagine compressing Earth's history into a single calendar year: life began with lightning strikes into the "primordial soup," dinosaurs roamed for roughly six months, yet humans have existed for just the last 30 seconds of December 31st. Despite this brief moment, human activity has impacted the environment more profoundly than any past disease or geological event that led to extinction.

This CLE course explores our moral and ethical responsibilities toward other species as the human population grows, potentially exceeding our planet’s carrying capacity. We will examine how international, national, and local environmental laws have evolved to reflect these responsibilities—laws that differ greatly from the more social and legal considerations of professional ethics, yet are grounded in similar fundamental principles. Unlike the more rigid rules of professional ethics, environmental law involves an interpretive moral balance that varies with each individual and, by extension, each lawyer navigating the Anthropocene. This course provides a deep dive into this balance, emphasizing the unique role of lawyers in shaping a sustainable future.