New Jersey governor signs legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions News
New Jersey governor signs legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

[JURIST] New Jersey [JURIST news archive] Governor Jon Corzine signed legislation [press release] to cut emissions of greenhouse gases [JURIST news archive] Friday, making New Jersey the third state in the nation to pass such laws to prevent global warming. California [JURIST report] and Hawaii have passed similar laws. New Jersey's Global Warming Response Act [A3301 text] requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and by 80 percent below 2006 levels by 2050. New Jersey is the first state to set targets so far into the future.

When signing the legislation, Corzine criticized the Bush administration for not doing enough to solve global warming, saying "In the absence of leadership on the federal level, the burden of reducing greenhouse gases has now fallen upon the states." In April, President Bush urged [JURIST report] Congress to adopt his proposed targets for alternative fuel use [White House energy policy materials] as a way of combating greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier in the month, the US Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA [JURIST report] that the Environmental Protection Agency [official website] may regulate automobile emissions. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.