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Bio

Professor David Takacs is a proud UC Law SF alumnus. He also holds an LL.M. from the School of Oriental & African Studies at the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ of London, and a B.S. (Biology), M.A., and Ph.D. (Science & Technology Studies) from Cornell ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ.

His scholarly work addresses forest carbon offsetting, biodiversity conservation law, environmental and ecological democracy, rights for nature, and the human right to water. He is the author of The Idea of Biodiversity (Johns Hopkins U. Press). He has been a consultant for international NGOs and US government agencies, analyzing legal and policy issues pertaining to REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) and global climate change.ÌýIn 2017, he received the Rutter Award for Outstanding Teaching at UC Law SF.

Before his legal career, David was a professor in Earth Systems Science & Policy at CSU Monterey Bay, a lecturer in the John S. Knight Writing Program at Cornell, and a Peace Corps Forestry Volunteer in Senegal.

Selected Scholarship

Books

• Ìý(Johns Hopkins Univ. Press 1996).

Journal Articles

• Wolf Law, 41ÌýUCLA J. Envtl. L. and Pol’yÌý39 (2023) (with Jesse Honig).Ìý
• Adapting to a 4℃ World, 52ÌýEnvtl. L. Rep.Ìý10211 (2022) (with Karrigan Börk et al.).ÌýÌý
• Standing for Rivers, Mountains – and Trees – in the Anthropocene, 1470ÌýS. Cal. L. Rev.Ìý1469 (2022).ÌýÌý
• U.S. State-Based Wilderness Law: An Evaluation, 28ÌýHastings Envtl. L.J.Ìý25 (2022) (with Miranda Holeton).Ìý
• Environmental Law, Disrupted by COVID-19, 51ÌýEnvtl. L. Rep. News & AnalysisÌý10509 (2021) (with Rebecca M. Bratspies, et al.).Ìý
• We Are the River, 2021ÌýU. Ill. L. Rev.Ìý545 (2021).ÌýÌý
• Wilderness Law in the Anthropocene: Purism or Pragmatism, 51ÌýEnvtl. L.Ìý38 (2021) (with Phillipa C. McCormack, Benjamin J. Richardson, & Kees Bastmeijer).Ìý
• An Aye Aye for an Aye Aye: Making Biodiversity Offsets Sustainable, 45ÌýColum. J. Envtl. L.Ìý519 (2020).ÌýÌý
• Environmental Law. Disrupted, 49ÌýEnvtl. L. Rep. News & AnalysisÌý10038 (2019) (with Inara Scott, Rebecca Bratspies, Vanessa Casado Pérez, Robin Kundis Craig, Keith Hirokawa, Blake Hudson, Sarah Krakoff, Katrina Fischer Kuh, Jessica Owley, Melissa Powers, Shannon Roesler, Jonathan Rosenbloom, J.B. Ruhl, and Erin Ryan).ÌýÌý
• Whose Voices Count in Biodiversity Conservation? Ecological Democracy in Biodiversity Offsetting, REDD , and Rewilding, 22ÌýJ. Env. Pol’y & Plan.Ìý43 (2019).ÌýÌý
• Are Koalas Fungible: Biodiversity Offsetting and the Law, 26ÌýN.Y.U. Envtl. L.J.Ìý161 (2018).ÌýÌý
• Beyond Zero-sum Environmentalism, 47ÌýEnvtl. L. Rep. News & AnalysisÌý10328 (2017) (with Shalanda Baker, Robin Kundis Craig, John Dernbach, Keith Hirokawa, Sarah Krakoff, Jessica Owley, Melissa Powers, Shannon Roesler, Jonathan Rosenbloom, J.B. Ruhl, Jim Salzman, & Inara Scott).Ìý
• South Africa and the Human Right to Water: Equity, Ecology, and the Public Trust Doctrine, 34ÌýBerkeley J. Int’l L.Ìý55 (2016).ÌýÌý
• A Response to the IPCC Fifth Assessment, 45ÌýEnvtl. L. Rep. News & AnalysisÌý10027 (2015) (The authors collectively engaged in this project as the Environmental Law Collaborative).ÌýÌý
• Introduction: Changing Law for a Changing Climate, 66ÌýHastings L.J.Ìý513 (2015).Ìý
• Environmental Democracy and Forest Carbon (REDD ), 44ÌýEnvtl. L.Ìý71 (2014).Ìý
• Protecting Your Environment, Exacerbating Justice: Avoiding “Mandate Havens”, 24ÌýDuke Envtl. L. & Pol’y F.Ìý315 (2014).Ìý
• Forest Carbon (REDD+), Repairing International Trust, and Reciprocal Contractual Sovereignty, 37ÌýVt. L. Rev.Ìý653 (2013).Ìý
• Measuring, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verifying (MMRV): Negotiating Trust in Transnational Contracts for REDD, 106ÌýAm. Soc’y Int’l L. Proc.Ìý518 (2012).Ìý
• Forest Carbon Projects and International Law: A Deep Equity Legal Analysis, 22ÌýGeo. Int’l Envtl. L. Rev.Ìý521 (2010).ÌýÌý
• Carbon Into Gold: Forest Carbon Offsets, Climate Change Adaptation, and International Law, 15ÌýHastings W.–Nw. J. Envtl. L. & Pol’yÌý39 (2009).ÌýÌý
• The Public Trust Doctrine, Environmental Human Rights, and the Future of Private Property, 16ÌýN.Y.U. Envtl. L.J.Ìý711 (2008).ÌýÌý
• FromÌýIsÌýtoÌýShould: Helping Students Translate Conservation Biology Into Conservation Policy, 20ÌýConservation BiologyÌý1342 (2006) (with Daniel F. Shapiro & William D. Head).Ìý
• How Does Your Positionality Bias Your Epistemology?, 19ÌýThought & ActionÌý27 (Summer 2003).ÌýÌý
• Positionality, Epistemology, and Social Justice in the Classroom, 29ÌýSoc. Just.Ìý168 (2002).Ìý
• Using History to Inform Political Participation in a California History Course, 2002ÌýRadical Hist. Rev.Ìý138 (Fall 2002) (with Gerald Shenk).Ìý

Chapters In Books

• Environmental Law: Rivers with Rights, inÌýThe Judges’ Book vol. 6,ÌýArt. 8 (UC Law 2023).Ìý
• Aggressive Solutions to Disrupt Biodiversity Loss, inÌýEnvironmental Law, Disrupted.Ìý59 (Keith Hirokawa & Jessica Owley eds., Envtl. L. Inst. 2021).Ìý
• Environmental Law Disrupted by COVID-19, inÌýEnvironmental Law, Disrupted.Ìý279 (Keith Hirokawa & Jessica Owley eds., Envtl. L. Inst. 2021) (with Rebecca Batspries et al.).Ìý
• Deep Equity, Nonzero-Sum Environmentalism, and a Sustainable Planet, inÌýBeyond Zero-Sum EnvironmentalismÌý111 (Sarah Krakoff, Melissa Powers, & Jonathan Rosenbloom eds., Env. L. Inst. 2019).Ìý
• Flexible Conservation in Uncertain Times, inÌýContemporary Issues in Climate Change Law and Policy: Essays Inspired by the IPCCÌý65 (Robin Kundis Craig and Stephen R. Miller, eds., Env. L. Inst. 2016) (with Jessica Owley).ÌýÌý
• Water Sector Reform and Principles of International Environmental Law, inÌýWater Law for the Twenty-First Century: National and International Aspects of Water Law Reform in IndiaÌý260 (Philippe Cullet et al. eds., Routledge 2009).ÌýÌý
• A Pragmatic, Co-operative Approach To Teaching Environmental Ethics, inÌýTeaching Environmental EthicsÌý93 (Clare Palmer ed., Brill 2006) (with Daniel F. Shapiro).Ìý
• Historical Awareness of Biodiversity, inÌý3 Encyclopedia of BiodiversityÌý363 (Simon Levin ed., Academic Press 2001).Ìý

Book Reviews

• Book Review, 55ÌýLaw & Soc’y Rev.Ìý218 (2021) (reviewingÌýJennifer Telesca, Red Gold: The Managed Extinction of the Giant Bluefin Tuna (2020)).Ìý
• Book Review, 16ÌýL. Env’t & Dev. J.Ìý(2020) (reviewingÌýDina L Townsend, Human Dignity and the Adjudication of Environmental Rights (2020)).Ìý
• Book Review, 13ÌýL. Env’t & Dev. J.Ìý32 (2017) (reviewingÌýElisa Morgera & Jona Razzaque, eds., Biodiversity and Nature Protection Law (2017)).Ìý
• Book Review, 3ÌýL. Env’t & Dev. J.Ìý286 (2007) (reviewingÌýGerd Winter ed., Multilevel Governance of Global Environmental Change: Perspectives from Science, Sociology, and the Law (2006)).Ìý

Other Publications

• Forest Carbon: Law and Property Rights,ÌýConservation InternationalÌý(2009).Ìý

Education

• ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ of California Hastings College of the Law
  J.D., Law

• ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ of London, School of Oriental and African Studies
  LL.M., International Law

• Cornell ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ
  Ph.D., Science & Technology Studies

• Cornell ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ
  M.A., History and Philosophy of Science

• Cornell ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ
  B.S., Biology