HOUSTON – Texas environmental attorney Richard O. Faulk, Chair of the Litigation Department at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, is headed to Denmark as one of the rare U.S. lawyers with an opportunity to experience the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Mr. Faulk is attending the conference as a credentialed journalist, supplying expert coverage for daily publications and periodicals.

Central to the conference will be work on a new international climate change agreement to take effect after the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires at the end of 2012. President Barack Obama is among the world leaders scheduled to attend this important two-week conference, which begins Dec. 7 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Many nations and delegates believe that a global climate change agreement is necessary to limit the negative man-made effects on the climate system for future generations.

“This conference must produce an equitable international agreement to avoid the destructive effects of unilateral climate change measures on the United States economy. Even massive reductions in American greenhouse gas emissions will not be sufficient to impact the climate in the absence of a universal agreement that binds all nations, including developing nations like China and India,” says Mr. Faulk.

“In the absence of universal and verifiable international accords, American industry will suffer major competitive disadvantages – and, more importantly, climate changes will not be effectively redressed,” he says. “However important climate issues may be, we must have comprehensive tools to solve the situation as opposed to unilateral platitudes.”

Mr. Faulk is the chairman of Gardere’s Environmental Practice Group and Climate Change Task Force. In addition to his publication reports, he will provide the firm’s clients with comprehensive updated coverage from the Climate Change Conference.

Steve Good, Gardere’s Managing Partner, says the firm is pleased to have a “ringside seat” at these important negotiations.

“Rick has worked tirelessly as an advocate, author and advisor on climate change issues, including the emerging threat of public nuisance litigation based on the effects of global warming,” says Mr. Good. “Attending, observing and reporting on this critical conference will allow Rick to provide our clients with prompt access to unique information, and will ensure that our representation is informed, reliable and authoritative.”

For more information about Gardere’s Climate Change Task Force, contact Mr. Faulk at rfaulk@gardere.com or his co-chair, John S. Gray, at jgray@gardere.com. Their publications regarding the legal issues raised by this controversy can be accessed at http://works.bepress.com/richard_faulk/

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an AmLaw 200 firm celebrating 100 years in 2009 and one of the Southwest’s largest full-service law firms, has offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City. Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in areas of energy, hospitality, litigation, corporate, tax, environmental, labor and employment, intellectual property and financial services.