Summer 2020 has certainly been an odd summer. One thing that COVID-19 has not changed, however, is the increasing risk to coastal areas of Nova Scotia as a result of sea level rise and storm surge from climate change. Despite the pandemic, I was lucky enough to be one of East Coast Environmental Law’s summer student interns this year—safely, from a distance—and focused my work broadly on coastal issues.

When I started law school four years ago, I knew that I wanted to study environmental law and human rights. I also knew that I wanted to develop skills, strength, and power that would help me to fight for and with vulnerable communities that needed capable allies in the face of environmental and climate injustice.

In this Summer Student Retrospective series, four law students who worked with us last summer reflect on their experiences.

In this Summer Student Retrospective series, four law students who worked with us last summer reflect on their experiences.

In this Summer Student Retrospective series, four law students who worked with us last summer reflect on their experiences.

In this Summer Student Retrospective series, four law students who worked with us last summer reflect on their experiences.

On February 17, 2020, I published a blog post called “Municipal Ecological Governance in Nova Scotia” that discussed, among other things, a letter that Maryse Belanger, COO of Atlantic Mining NS Corp. (“Atlantic Gold”) had sent to various provincial Ministers in February 2019.

When I was a law student, I took advantage of an opportunity to take a course in “Planning Law” from a professor with a passion for municipal governance. I learned a lot, and it was fascinating to explore some of the ways that municipal governments contribute to the intricate web of institutions that shape day-to-day life in Canada.