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James Gustave Speth

Photo of Gus Speth
Professor of Law

JD, Yale Law School, 1969;
MLitt, Oxford University, 1966;
BA, Yale College, 1964

Phone: 802-831-1192
Email: gspeth@vermontlaw.edu

Publications

Books

  • Climate Change Law: Mitigation and Adaptation (St. Paul: Thomson Reuters, 2009) (with others)
  • The Coming Transformation: Values To Sustain Human and Natural Communities (Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 2009) (with Stephen Kellert)
  • The Bridge at the Edge of the World:  Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability (New Haven, C.T.: Yale University Press, 2008; paperback, 2009). Translated: Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Korean forthcoming.
  • Global Environmental Governance (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2006) (with Peter Haas).
  • Red Sky at Morning: America and the Crisis of the Global Environment (New Haven, C.T.: Yale
  • University Press, 2004).  Translated: German, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Turkish.  Paperback with new "Afterword" (2005).
  • Worlds Apart: Globalization and the Environment (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2003).

Book Chapters and Contributions

  • "Groundswell" in Jonathan Isham and Sissel Waage, Ignition (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2007).
  • "Foreword" to Robert Repetto, ed., Punctuated Equilibrium and the Dynamics of U.S. Environmental Policy (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006).
  • "Foreword" to Daniel R. Abbasi, Americans and Climate Change: Closing the Gap Between Science and Action (New Haven, CT: Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 2006).
  • "Creating a Sustainable Future: Are We Running Out of Time?" in Robert Olson and David Rejeski, Environmentalism and the Technologies of Tomorrow (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2005).
  • "Foreword" to James Rasband et al., Natural Resources Law and Policy (New York: Foundation Press, 2004).
  • "Global Environmental Governance: Options and Opportunities," in D. Esty and M. Ivanova, eds., Global Environmental Governance: Options and Opportunities (Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 2002).
  • "Development Assistance and Poverty," in J. Dernbach, ed., Stumbling Toward Sustainability (Environmental Law Institute, 2002).
  • "Foreword" to Ralph Schmidt, et al., eds., Forests to Fight Poverty: Creating National Strategies (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999).
  • "Foreword" to Susan Holcombe, Managing to Empower: Grameen Bank's Experience of Poverty Alleviation (Zed Books, 1995).
  • "Introduction," in Deserts on the March (Paul B. Sears), Island Press, 1988.
  • "The Environmental Dimension to the Debt Crisis: The Problem and Five Proposals," in Latin America's Debt Crisis: Adjusting to the Past or Planning for the Future? (Robert A. Pastor, ed.), 1987.
  • "A New Institute for World Resources," in American Oxonian Vol. LXX, No. 1, 1983.
  • "A Gus Speth Reader," in Huge Nash, ed., Progress As If Survival Mattered (San Francisco: Friends of the Earth, 1981).
  • "Corporate Responsibility and Toxic Chemicals," in Life After '80: Environmental Choices We Can Live With (K. Courrier, ed.) 1980.

Articles and Reports

  • "Towards a New Economy and a New Politics," The Solutions Journal, May, 2010, online at .  
  • "Doing Business in a Post-Growth Society," Harvard Business Review, September, 2009, p. 18. 
  • "Toward a New Consciousness," The Leopold Outlook, Winter 2008, p.5-7. 
  • "Change Everything Now," Orion, September/October, 2008, p.67. 
  • "Environmental Failure: A Case for a New Green Politics," Yale Environment 360, October 20, 2008. 
  • "Silver Linings: Seven Post-Financial Crisis Opportunities for Healthier Economics," online at grist.org.  
  • "Beyond Growth: Against the Tide," New Scientist, 18 October 2008, p. 48. 
  • "Progressive Fusion," The Nation, October 6, 2008, p. 27. 
  • "Time for Civic Unreasonableness," Environment: Yale, Spring, 2008, p.2. 
  • "Changing the Object of Capitalism", Barron's, June. 2008. 
  • "The Problem with Capitalism," Yale Alumni Magazine, March/April, 2008, p. 28. 
  • "A Second Attempt at Global Environmental Governance?" The Environmental Forum, September/October, 2007, p. 29 (with Peter Haas).  
  • "Avoiding the Great Collision," Reflections, Yale Divinity School, Spring, 2007, p. 35. 
  • "Beyond Reform," Our Planet, UN Environment Programme, February, 2007, p. 16. 
  • "The Globe Is Warming-Why Aren't We Marching," New York Times, February 24, 2006.   
  • "A Civic Duty of the First Order," Global Agenda 2006 (World Economic Forum, 2006), p.202. 
  • "The Heart of the Matter," Environment: Yale, Fall 2005, p.2. 
  • "The Single Greatest Threat:  The United States and Global Climate Disruption," Harvard International Review, Summer, 2005. p. 18. 
  • "Why Business Needs Government Action on Climate Change," World Watch, July/August 2005. p. 30.
  • "A Credo To Serve Us Well for the Future," Financial Times, July 25, 2005. 
  • "The Kyoto No-Show Can Still Go Green," YaleGlobal Online, February 16, 2005.   
  • "Business Must Back Sustainability," Financial Times, October 1, 2004. 
  • "International Environmental Law:  Can It Deal with the Big Issues?" Vermont Law Review, Spring, 2004, p.779. 
  • "Carbon Dioxide Won the Elections," International Herald Tribune, January 16, 2003. 
  • "Green Republicans: Quo Vadis?" Environment: Yale, November, 2003, p. 2. 
  • "Perspectives on the Johannesburg Summit," Environment, Vol. 45, No. 1, January/February 2003, p. 24. 
  • "Dismissing Storm Clouds Not Too Sharp," New Haven Register, September 25, 2002. 
  • "A New Green Regime: Attacking the Root Causes of Global Environmental Deterioration," Environment, Vol. 44, No. 7, September 2002, p. 16. 
  • "The Global Environment: A Program to Avoid Appalling Deterioration," International Herald Tribune, July 30, 2002.  
  • "Recycling Environmentalism," Foreign Policy, July/August, 2002, p. 74.
  •  "Making the World Safer Without Bombs," Yale Daily News, September 18, 2001.
  •  "Bush Sr. Obligated the U.S. To Act on Global Warming," International Herald Tribune, May 9, 2001.
  •  "The United States and the Developing Countries in a Globalizing World," International Review of Environmental Strategies, Vol. 2, No. 1 (2000).
  •  "Foreword" to Ralph Schmidt, et al., eds., Forests to Fight Poverty: Creating National Strategies (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999).
  •  "The Plight of the Poor," Foreign Affairs, Volume 78, No. 3, May/June 1999.
  •  "A New Deal - Development Assistance in a Global Economy," Harvard International Review, Winter 1998/1999. 
  • "Debt Relief, Yes, but Development Aid as Well," International Herald Tribune, May 7, 1999.
  •  "The Neglect of Growing Poverty Poses a Global Threat," International Herald Tribune, July 17 - 18,   1999. 
  • "Poverty and Environment: Moving the Agenda," Choices, UNDP, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1999.
  •  "Poverty: A Denial of Human Rights," Journal of International Affairs, 52, No.1, fall 1998.
  • "Keep the Focus on Promoting the People of Asia," International Herald Tribune, January 29, 1998.
  • "Economic Growth Is an Essential Part of Sustainable Human Development," The Earth Times, February 16 - 28, 1998.
  • "Reform, Restructuring, Re-engineering," The Earth Times, September 16 - 30, 1998.
  • "Common Interest, Common Sense," Los Angeles Times, November 10, 1998.
  • "Development Countries, Too, Are Fighting Global Warming," International Herald Tribune, November 13, 1998.
  • "The United Nations: From Crisis to Development," Global Aid, January 1997.
  • "A Leaner and More Efficient UNDP Aims To Fight Global Poverty," Journal of the Group of 77 at the United Nations Headquarters, Vol. 10, No. 3 & 4, March/April 1997.
  • "Europe Provides a Guide to Shrinking World's Rich-Poor Gap," International Herald Tribune, February 3, 1997.
  • "The Foreign Aid Mirage," The Christian Science Monitor, April 2, 1997.
  • "UNDP 2001 - Reform for Results," Development Today, July 23, 1997, Vol. VII, No. 11 - 12.
  • "Good for Ted Turner, and May He Be Imitated," International Herald Tribune, October 9, 1997.
  • "Keeping Promises Made at Rio...," The Earth Times, October 1 - 15, 1997.
  • "Listening to the Poor," The Washington Times, November 25, 1997.
  • "In Africa, Unattended Poverty Leads to Conflict," International Herald Tribune, March 21, 1996.
  • "Two Worlds in Counterflow, or 358 = 2.3 Billion and Counting," International Herald Tribune, August 23, 1996.
  • "Development and Security," The Challenge of Peace, UNRIST, Vol. 3, June 1996.
  • "The UN, the US, and Development Cooperation: Time for Reunion," United Nations Chronicle, Vol. XXXIII, No. 4, 1996.
  • "UNDP's Mandate Could be Hampered by Declining Resources," Journal of the Group of 77, Vol. 9 No. 6/7(Special Edition), September 1996.
  • "Upheaval in Development," World Development Aid & Joint Venture Finance, 1995/1996.
  • "We Need a New, More Comprehensive Framework for Development Cooperation," The Earth Times, April 15 - 29, 1995.
  • "Wake Up, OECD: Concerted Development Assistance Isn't Optional," International Herald Tribune, May 19, 1995.
  • "Foreign Aid for the Price of Cat Food," Washington Post, August 6, 1995.
  • "Defining the Challenge," United Nations Chronicle, March 22, 1995.
  • "Climate Change & Development:  A Challenge of Commitment," United Nations Climate Change Bulletin, Issue 8, 3rd Quarter 1995.
  • "Development Cooperation in Peril:  Building New Capacities, Preventing Crises," United Nations Chronicle, June 1995.
  • "A New Age of Equity?," Politiken, March 12, 1995.
  • "On the Road to Rio and to Sustainability," Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 26, No. 6, 1992.
  • "A New U.S. Program for International Development and the Global Environment," The American Oxonian, Vol. LXXIX, No. 1, 1992.
  • "Double or Nothing: Linking U.S. Economic and Environmental Objectives," World Resource Institute: Issues and Ideas, November 1992.
  • "A Post-Rio Compact," Foreign Policy, No. 88, Fall 1992.
  • "A New U.S. Program for International Development and the Global Environment," World Resources Institute, Issues and Ideas, March 1992.
  • "The Transition to a Sustainable Society," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 89, February 1992.
  • "Pollution vs. Payrolls: Going for the Gold, A National Strategy for Helping America Clean Up by Cleaning Up," Washington Post, October 4, 1992.
  • "Meeting the North-South Challenge," Changing America: Blueprints for the New Administration, (M.Green ed.), 1992.
  • "Partnership for Sustainable Development: A New U.S. Agenda for International Development and Environmental Security," Report of an Environmental and Energy Study Institute Task Force (chair),    1991.
  • "EPA Must Help Lead an Environmental Revolution in Technology," Environmental Law, Vol. 21, 1991.
  • "Compact for a New World," Report of the New World Dialogue on Environment and Development in the Western Hemisphere, 1991 (principal author).
  • "An Environmental Revolution in Technology," Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 24, No. 4, 1990.
  • "Six Steps Toward Environmental Security," The Christian Science Monitor, January 22, 1990.
  • "Coming to Terms: Toward a North-South Bargain for the Environment," Environment, Vol 32, No. 5, June 1990.
  • "We Must Pay Full Price for Energy," Los Angeles Times, August 19, 1990.
  • "Steps Toward Sustainability," The Earth in Transition, (G. Woodwell Ed.)1990.
  • "The Global Environmental Agenda," Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 23, No. 7, July 1989.
  • "'Can the World Be Saved?'," Ecological Economics, Vol. 1, No. 4, 1989.
  • "EPA and the World Clean-up Puzzle," EPA Journal, July/August 1989.
  • "The Global Environmental Challenge," International Agriculture, Vol. 4, No 3, 1989.
  • "Turning Point for the Earth," GAO Journal, No. 6, Summer 1989.
  • "For North-South Cooperation To Save the Environment," International Herald Tribune, July 12, 1989.
  • "The Greening of the Summit: First-World Money and Third-World Ecology Can Prosper Together," Washington Post, July 9, 1989.
  • "Dedicate the 90's to the Environment: International Commitment Could Be Our Gift to New Century," Los Angeles Times, February 1989.
  • "The Greening of Technology," Washington Post, November 20, 1988.
  • "The Greening of Technology," The Bridge, National Academy of Engineering, Summer 1989.
  • "Environmental Pollution: A Long-Term Perspective," Earth '88: Changing Geographic Perspectives, 1988.
  • "Now, for a Worldwide Phase-Out of CFCs," Los Angeles Times, March 29, 1988.
  • "A New Environmental Agenda," Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, Summer, 1986.
  • "Sweltering in the Greenhouse," Los Angeles Times, August 1, 1986.
  •  "Environment, Economy, Security: The Emerging Agenda," Protecting Our Environment, Center for National Policy, 1985. 
  • "Questions for a Critical Decade," Columbia Journal of World Business, Vol. XIX, No. 1, Spring, 1984.
  •  "What To Expect in the Year 2000," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, March, 1981.
  • "Resources and Security: Perspectives from the Global 2000 Report," World Future Society Bulletin, September/October 1981.
  • "Overview," A Long-Range Environmental Outlook, National Research Council, 1980.
  • "The Need for Federal Involvement," Environmental Protection Agency Journal, September, 1980.
  • "The Looming Test for Mankind," The Living Wilderness, September, 1980.
  • "Simplifying Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act," Sloan Management Review, Summer, 1980 (with Nicholas Yost).
  • "Our Environmental Future: Four Choices for the 1980's," National Journal, January 26, 1980.
  • "Our Nation's Water: A Threatened Resource," Catalyst, Vol. VII, No. 2, 1980.
  • "The Sisyphus Syndrome: Acid Rain and Public Responsibility," National Parks and Conservation Magazine, February, 1980.
  • "A Small Price To Pay: Inflation and Environmental Controls," Environment, October, 1978.
  • "A Civil Servant of the Environment," The Center Magazine, May/June, 1978.
  • "The Nuclear Recession," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, April, 1978.
  • "Waiting for a Philosopher King: Making Cancer Policy Until Certainty Arrives" Sierra, February/March, 1978.
  • "The Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor: A Poor Buy," Environment, May/June, 1975 (with Thomas Cochran and Arthur Tamplin).
  • "The Hazards of Plutonium," Natural History, January, 1975.
  • "Plutonium Recycle: The Fateful Step," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, November, 1974 (with Thomas Cochran and Arthur Tamplin).
  • "The 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act: Problems and Prospects After One Year," Natural Resources Lawyer, Spring, 1974.
  • "The Federal Role in Technology Assessment and Control," Federal Environmental Law, (E. Dolgin and T. Guilbert, ed.), 1974.
  • "A Model Negative Income Tax Statute," 78 Yale Law Journal 269, 1968 (with others).
  • "Judicial Review of Displacee Relocation in Urban Renewal," 77 Yale Law Journal 966, 1968.