Behind the Scenes: Rachel Westrate

Why It Matters

A unified, ready‑to‑use model law speeds policy adoption, aligning local regulations with international climate and air‑quality commitments and fostering faster, coordinated action against pollution.

Key Takeaways

• Draft model law merges air quality and climate legislation.
• Builds on UNEP, World Bank, EPA lead‑paint model successes.
• Provides template text and guidance for nations, cities, regions.
• Emphasizes flexible definitions, scope, and regular scientific review.
• Aims to publish on CCAC’s Air Quality Management Exchange platform.

Summary

Rachel Wester, a former EPA International Affairs delegate now at Vermont Law, unveiled a draft model law that integrates air‑quality and climate‑pollution regulations. The initiative, born from her EPA work on UN resolutions and the Monte Vivido program, seeks to give legislators a ready‑made legislative text rather than just a checklist of requirements.

The draft pulls from UNEP’s air‑pollution series, World Bank guidance on climate‑mitigation integration, and lessons from the U.S. EPA‑led lead‑paint model law adopted in over 20 countries. It outlines general provisions—purpose, definitions, scope, and review mechanisms—and a standards chapter that distinguishes primary health‑based limits from secondary environmental targets.

Wester cites the EU Air Quality Directive and the Philippine Clean Air Act as exemplars, noting the challenge of crafting a non‑prescriptive template that respects diverse governance structures. She stresses that the model will be hosted on the Climate and Clean Air Coalition’s Air Quality Management Exchange platform, ensuring alignment with existing resources.

If adopted, the model could accelerate the creation of coherent, enforceable air‑quality statutes worldwide, helping jurisdictions meet Paris Agreement pledges and improve public‑health outcomes while delivering climate co‑benefits.

Original Description

EPIC's Clean Air Program has launched a new series of conversations sparked by EPIC Air Quality Fund Awardees, on subjects like new tools, real-world lessons, and emerging opportunities and collaborations in the air quality space. In this session, Vermont Law & Graduate School's Rachel Westrate shared her work with the CCAC on drafting model air and climate pollution legislation—a customizable template drawn from a global analysis of air quality laws.

The discussion explores what makes air quality legislation effective, common gaps in existing frameworks, and how the experiences of EPIC Air Quality Fund Awardees working across diverse regulatory contexts can help shape this resource.