Story | 06 Nov, 2020

WCEL Members Featured in ICEL Side-Event Briefing on Strengthening Cooperation for International Environmental Law

By Nicholas Robinson - On 27 October 2020, the International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL), in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations, and the Observer Mission of the IUCN to the United Nations, with the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL), hosted a Side-Event Briefing on Strengthening Cooperation for International Environmental Law.

Photo: Christina Voigt

The Side-Event Briefing on Strengthening Cooperation for International Environmental Law convened to present the expertise of distinguished scholars of international environmental law regarding options for opportune “next steps” in the progressive development of international environmental law and organization, to provide essential foundation for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.

As the United Nations General Assembly advances its substantive consultations on international cooperation for strengthening environmental law frameworks under General Assembly resolution 73/333, and the consensus of the first informal meeting 21-23 July 2020 on “Follow-up to the report of the ad hoc open-ended working group established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 72/277,” it is timely to review expert studies on (a) governance and the role of UNEP as the leading global environmental authority (recommendations 6,9,11,12,18, of July 2020); (b) the means of implementation of international environmental law (recommendations 7, 13, 15 and 16, of July 2020); and (c) environmental rule of law (recommendations 1, 14, and 17, of July 2020).

The panel of distinguished jurists included WCEL Steering Committee Member, Dr. Nilufer Oral, WCEL Climate Change Specialist Group Chair, Prof. Christina Voigt, and WCEL Member, Prof. Chikosa Banda. The panel also include Prof. Segio Ugalde from the University for Peace in Costa Rica and Dr. Lucien Chabason, Senior Advisor to the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI). The event was moderated by WCEL Chair Emeritus, Prof. Nicholas Robinson.

A full recording of the event is available here.

The International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL) was founded in 1969 in New Delhi and is the oldest international association of jurists dedicated to the field of environmental law, accredited to ECOSOC. It has actively participated in the Montevideo Programme and other leading initiatives of UNEP, IUCN, and other international organizations. ICEL’s briefing of 10 December 2018 on the UN Secretary General’s 2018 Report on Gaps in International Environmental Law, 30 November 2018 (A/73/419) is available here.

About the Author

Photo: Nicholas Robinson

Professor Nicholas Robinson is Chair Emeritus of the IUCN World Commission on Environment Law, serving from 1996 to 2004, and responsible for many innovations including the launch of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law. Professor Robinson has engaged in drafting treaties and counseling different countries on preparation of environmental laws. Additionally, he founded the Environmental Law Program at Pace University’s Law School now named after Elizabeth Haub.

LINKS:

Side-Event Briefing Recording