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Government and Politics

President Trump’s Review of National Monuments: AU Experts Comment on Potential Impact

WHAT:

American University experts are available to comment on President Trump's executive order to review the designation of certain lands as National Monuments.

WHEN:

April 27, 2017 – ongoing

WHERE:

In–studio, on campus, via email, Skype or telephone

Background:

On Wednesday, April 26, President Trump issued an executive order to review any national monument created since January 1, 1996, that encompasses at least 100,000 acres. The American University experts listed below are available to comment on the implications of this executive decision.

Paul Bledsoe, Visiting Executive and Professorial Lecturer at American University's School of Public Affairs and Center on Environmental Policy. Bledsoe is a former Special Assistant to Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. He is available to comment on issues related to energy and climate change, natural resources and water policy, and environmental sustainability.

Daniel Fiorino, is the director of the Center for Environmental Policy and executive-in-residence in AU's School of Public Affairs. He can discuss the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental policy, energy and climate change, environmental sustainability, and public management of natural resources.

Kiho Kim, environmental science professor and marine ecologist, is an expert in coral reef disease and decline. Specifically, his research focuses on coral reefs in Guam, also the site of one of the worst recent coral reef bleaching events. Kim can discuss the ecological significance of the ocean reserves created under former President Barack Obama in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and what would be lost to marine ecology conservation if those were no longer protected. Kim says: "Ocean reserves are one of just a few measures that are known to help ocean life recover from overexploitation or stave off extinction. Often, they help increase catch of commercially important species outside the reserves. These reserves make up about 3 percent of the ocean. The notion that even that is too much to set aside for protection is tragically shortsighted."

Simon Nicholson, assistant professor of International Relations, is the director of the Global Environmental Politics program in the School of International Service and. He can discuss global environmental governance, global food politics, and the politics of emerging technologies, including climate engineering (or "geoengineering") technologies.

Paul Wapner is an expert on global environmental politics, environmental thought, transnational environmental activism, and environmental ethics. He can discuss climate suffering, adaptation, and climate justice.