Faculty bio | (541) 346-3842

Mary Wood is an academic expert in environmental law and originated Atmospheric Trust Litigation. She studies law related to natural resources, public trust, federal Indian law, public lands, wildlife, and hazardous waste. Her research related to Atmospheric Trust Litigation, which holds governments accountable for reducing carbon pollution within their jurisdictions, is being used in cases and petitions brought on behalf of children and youth throughout the United States and around the world.

Recent Media: 
Trails inspired this teenager to take historic action on climate change (Trail Runner Magazine, Nov. 29, 2023)
Biden is campaigning as the most pro-climate president while his DOJ works to block a landmark climate trial (CNN, Aug. 9, 2023)
Nation's first youth climate lawsuits to go to trial (ABA Journal, June 7, 2023)
Global climate cases move international human rights law debate (Bloomberg Law, April 5, 2023)
Alfred T. Goodwin, Judge in Pledge of Allegiance Case, Dies at 99 (The New York Times, Jan. 15, 2023)
Environmental law is getting in the way of climate action (Wired, Sept. 22, 2021)
Greenpeace sues Walmart, claiming it lies about plastic being recyclable (CBS News, Dec. 21, 2020)
The dramatic dismissal of a landmark youth climate lawsuit might not close the book on that case (The Conversation, Jan. 23, 2020)
Will climate justice be served? (Sierra Magazine, Jan. 22, 2020)
They Sued the Government Over Climate Change. A Key Day in Court Has Arrived. (The New York Times, June 4, 2019)
Opinion: The planet’s future on the judicial docket (The Oregonian, June 2, 2019)
Climate change the new Vietnam War? Generation Z poised to change US politics with activism (USA Today, May 6, 2019)
Can a lake have rights? Toledo votes yes. (The Christian Science Monitor, March 21, 2019)
Has The Government Betrayed "The Public Trust"? (WNYC, Nov. 9, 2018)
Feds are 'trying to silence' the kids suing the Trump administration over global warming (CNN, Oct. 31, 2018)
These kids and young adults want their day in court on climate change (The Conversation, Oct. 23, 2018)
The US Supreme Court Slows Children's Climate Lawsuit -- For Now (Forbes, Oct. 22, 2018)
Youth climate lawsuit against Trump allowed to continue (Bloomberg, March 8,2018)
Here’s what’s at stake for the 21 kids suing the Trump administration over climate change (Think Progress, Dec. 11, 2017)
Half of modern global warming caused by 90 companies, new study concludes (Climate Liability News, Sept. 7, 2017)
The newest legal tool to fight climate change is as old as ancient Rome (Outside Magazine, May 27, 2016)
Kids sue the state to fight climate change (Cascadia Weekly, Nov. 4, 2015)
These teens are suing Oregon to force action on climate change (PBS NewsHour, April 18, 2015)
Why teenagers are suing states over climate change (Forbes, April 8, 2015)
Teens sue government for failing to address climate change for Future Generations (BuzzFlash, Feb. 25, 2015)