Scholars
L. Delta Merner
Union of Concerned Scientists
Based in
United States
North America
Delta Merner is the lead for the Science Hub for Climate Litigation at the Union of Concerned Scientists. In her role, she provides timely, scientific evidence to inform climate-related legal cases. Dr. Merner conducts litigation-relevant science, reviews legal communications for scientific accuracy, connects legal teams with technical experts, and leads trainings for scientists working at the intersection of climate science and law. Prior to joining UCS, she was a senior scientist at the American Institute of Physics. Delta earned a PhD in geography and environmental systems from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She also holds bachelors degrees in geography and environmental science and policy from Clark University.
Focus areas of expertise
Greenwashing Climate law and litigation Fossil fuelsPublications
Articles
Wentz, Jessica, et al. “Research Priorities for Climate Litigation.” Earth’s Future, vol. 11, no. 1, American Geophysical Union (AGU), Dec. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022ef002928 .
Merner, L. Delta; Franta, Benjamin; Frumhoff, Peter. (2022).“Identifying Gaps in Climate-Litigation Relevant Research: An Assessment from Interviews with Legal Scholars and Practitioners.” The Climate Social Science Network.
Phillips, C.A., Astrid Caldas, Rachel Cleetus, Kristina A. Dahl, Juan Declet-Barreto, Rachel Licker, L. Delta Merner, J. Pablo Ortiz-Partida, Alexandra L. Phelan, Erika Spanger-Siegfried, Shuchi Talati, Christopher H. Trisos, and Colin J. Carlson. (2020). “Compound climate risks in the COVID-19 pandemic.” Nature Climate Change.