Gift will establish first law school center in U.S. on climate change

By Lauri Gavel

The UCLA School of Law has received a commitment from Dan A. Emmett and his family for funds to establish the nation’s first law school center focused exclusively on climate change.

The Emmett gift, combined with a matching gift challenge, will provide a $10-million endowment fund to establish a center dedicated to the study and teaching of knowledge related to climate change and the environment.

"The center will play a key role in tackling the most pressing climate issues and fostering interdisciplinary support to address critical environmental concerns," said Law Professor Ann Carlson, who will serve as the first faculty director of the Emmett Center.

A key element of the gift will be the establishment of a new Dan and Rae Emmett Endowed Chair in Environmental Law, with the chairholder providing leadership for the center.

"UCLA School of Law already devotes considerable resources to the study of environmental law,” said Dean Michael H. Schill, “and the Emmetts' visionary gift will cement the law school's reputation as having one of the leading environmental programs in the country. At a time when the nation is facing unprecedented environmental challenges and California has become a global center for the development of progressive climate policy, the gift will promote the pursuit of innovative and practical solutions to help us address these issues both domestically and in their worldwide implications."

The Emmett family has long been concerned about environmental issues and is actively involved in supporting environmental organizations and initiatives. A Los Angeles native and avid outdoorsman, Emmett is the chairman of Santa Monica-based Douglas Emmett, Inc., a fully integrated real estate investment trust and one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties in Los Angeles and Honolulu.

Emmett and his companies have been known for their leadership in energy conservation since 1990. He was an adviser to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Green Building Initiative and currently chairs the Real Estate Leadership Council of the state's Green Action Team. He has also served as a founding member of a number of environmental organizations in California, including the Santa Monica Baykeeper, the Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Sustainable Conservation and Environment Now.

His son Daniel Emmett is a founder and executive director of Energy Independence Now, a nonprofit working to promote alternative energy solutions.

The Emmett Center will work hand in hand with the UCLA Environmental Law Center on two major programs: the Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic, which offers students hands-on experience in working on some of the most important environmental issues facing the region, and the Evan Frankel Environmental Law and Policy Program, which fosters informed analysis of timely and important issues involving governance and regulation in environmental policy.

"Climate change is a complex issue impacting us all," said California Air Resources Board chairman Mary Nichols, who is charged with implementing California's landmark global warming law. "The Emmett Center will be an important new research center, studying the broadest scope of these issues and generating new findings to further educate the public about climate change concerns. Dan Emmett and his family are to be commended for their forward-thinking philanthropy and their contributions to UCLA's research and teaching on the environment."