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Welcome to the Commission on Environmental Law
23 December 2005
 The Chair of the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) has recently reconstituted the membership of the commission. To reflect this fact a new CEL discussion list as well as a new CEL portal is going to be set up. The new CEL discussion list and the new CEL portal will be launched in January 2006. We hope that both communication platforms will become vigorous tools to support and further strengthen the work of the commission in the period 2005-2008. Please note that the application process is open on a continuous basis, and the next round of approvals will take place around March 2006. We would again like to invite those who have not yet reaffirmed their interest to renew their membership by contacting the CEL Liaison Officer (Patricia.Abed@idea.org.py).
View current members (October 2005) by NAME or by COUNTRY.
French version
Spanish version
FROM KYOTO TO MONTREAL: REFLECTIONS ON UNFCCC COP 11 AND KP COP/MOP 1
14 December 2005
 At about 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, 10 December 2005, Minister Stéphane Dion of Canada declared the formal close of the Montreal Climate Change Conference amidst the cheers and applause of a weary but elated crowd that had stayed up all night for the historic moment marking the official beginning of the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, and initial steps on where to go next. The gavel came down as many of the delegates to 11th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, were on their way back home. Despite the lack of more ambitious progress on achieving much needed emissions reductions, the outcomes of the meeting indicate a turning point for the Kyoto Protocol, signaling its full operationalization and the beginnings of discussion on a process beyond 2012.
To view a summary of the highlights of the climate change meetings, click here.
FORESTS AND THE CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM
24 November 2005
 The establishment of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol has been greeted with mixed emotions from climate, forestry and development experts. Afforestation and reforestation project activities under the CDM (CDM AR) raise particular issues, including legal issues that are unique to these types of activities, as opposed, for instance, to CDM energy project activities. “Legal Aspects in the Implementation of CDM Forestry Projects”, seeks to guide policy makers in host countries in designing a CDM framework that promotes the implementation of environmentally and socially sound project activities in the afforestation and reforestation sectors. Many of the observations and conclusions were based in part on four case studies conducted in Argentina, Chile, Ghana and the Philippines. The publication was made possible through the generous support of GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), the German development agency for technical cooperation and the United Nations Environment Programme.
To view the paper, click here.
To view the case study questionnaire, click here.
To view the Argentinean case study, click here.
To view the Chilean case study, click here.
To view the Ghanaian case study, click here.
To view the Philippine case study, click here.
InTEGRACION DE POLITICAS AMBIENTALES
4 noviembre 2005
 La integración de las políticas ambientales en los diversos sectores fue el tema objeto del Sexto Simposio Internacional de Legislación y Derecho Ambiental del Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Madrid (ICAM). Temas tales como políticas de asentamientos humanos en áreas protegidas, recursos hídricos, turismo y fiscales, fueron analizadas y discutidas en profundidad, en un evento que, como todos los años, convocó a expertos en Derecho Ambiental de España, Portugal e Iberoamérica. Este año el Programa Iberoamericano de Derecho Ambiental del ICAM celebró además su 10º Aniversario. El Programa de Derecho Ambiental de la UICN, como entidad colaboradora del Simposio y del Programa Iberoamericano, estuvo representada por el Dr Alejandro Iza, quien se refirio al tema de Política y Derecho de Aguas. El próximo Simposio, a celebrarse en Madrid en octubre de 2006 versará sobre el Derecho y la Gestión de los Riesgos Ambientales. Para mayor información sobre el Simposio y el Departamento de Derecho Ambiental del ICAM haga un click aquí.
English version
GLACIARES: ECOSISTEMAS CRITICOS
2 noviembre 2005
 Un grupo de miembros sudamericanos de la Comisión de Derecho Ambiental se reunió los días 18 y 19 de octubre en Buenos Aires para presentar los resultados de una investigación y analizar los aspectos políticos y jurídicos relativos a la conservación de los glaciares. Cada uno de los países de América del Sur que tiene glaciares (Argentina Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Perú y Venezuela) presenta diferencias en cuanto al tipo y a la existencia de ecosistemas conexos, como los páramos. Sin embargo, todos los países tienen una similitud: la carencia de una politica y de normas respecto a la conservacion de estos frágiles ecosistemas fragiles. El foro analizó la situación en cada país y elaboro una serie de recomendaciones y que se refieren al contexto (geografico, social y economico), estatuto jurídico, relación entre glaciares y ordenamiento territorial y las áreas protegidas. Asimismo, consideró el impacto producido por el cambio climático, cuestiones de vulnerabilidad y, finalmente, los servicios ambientales prestados por los ecosistemas de glaciares y asociados. Los resultados de este foro estarán disponibles proximamente a través de este sitio.
English version
GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE TO BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
28 October 2005
 We are pleased to announce the issue of Guidelines for Applying the Precautionary Principle to Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Management (NRM). It is hoped that they will be widely adopted and used in a broad range of biodiversity conservation and NRM contexts. These Guidelines represent the first set of guidance for the precautionary principle in biodiversity conservation and NRM. They aim to inform and assist decision-makers, policy-makers and managers in interpreting and applying the precautionary principle across a wide range of contexts. The Guidelines have been developed by The Precautionary Principle Project – a joint initiative of Fauna & Flora International, IUCN-The World Conservation Union, ResourceAfrica and TRAFFIC, and were finalised at an international workshop in Florida in July 2005, after three years of work and consultation involving a wide range of experts and stakeholders from different regions, sectors, disciplines and perspectives. They form part of a forthcoming book Biodiversity and the Precautionary Principle: Risk and Uncertainty in Conservation and Sustainable Use, to be published next month by Earthscan, London, and will be presented at meetings at the Ramsar COP, CBD SBSTTA, and elsewhere. Please note that they should not be taken as necessarily representing the view of IUCN or other collaborating organisations.
Click here for the full announcement.
Download the Guidelines in English, French, Spanish.
SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN INDONESIA
25 October 2005
 Judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers from Indonesia have been introduced to a government perspective of environmental compliance and enforcement issues in the Australian State of New South Wales by senior officials with the Department of Planning, including IUCN CEL Vice Chair John Scanlon. Participants in the session, who come from across Indonesia, are participating in the third phase of a specialised training project on Environmental Law Enforcement in Australia, supported by AusAID and the State Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia. The training is being delivered by a consortium including the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO) through its Asia Pacific Training Centre in Sydney, and the University of South Australia in Adelaide, through Professor Rob Fowler, a longstanding member of CEL.
To learn more about IDLO and the training course click here.
STRATEGIES, SCIENCE AND LAW FOR SOIL CONSERVATION
13 October 2005
 Members of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) participated in the International Workshop on Strategies, Science and Law for the Conservation of the World’s Soil Resources. This event, which gathered representatives of twenty countries, was organized at Selfoss (Iceland) by the Soil Conservation and Protection in Europe Group of the European Union (SCAPE). Major themes included an overview of the world situation of soil conservation and sustainable land use, integrating soil needs into broader land management issues, law, legal management and solutions, research and case studies, as well as strategies and policies for the sustainable use of soil. A major feature of the workshop was the discussion on the progress made by the CEL Specialist Group on Sustainable Use of Soil and Desertification (SGSS&D) towards an international instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of soils.
To view the full story, click here.
For more information on the SGSS&D publications, click here.
DERECHO AMBIENTAL EN EL MERCOSUR
7 octubre 2005
 El Instituto de Derecho y Economía Ambiental (IDEA), la Comisión de Derecho Ambiental de la UICN (CEL, por sus siglas en Inglés) y el Centro de Derecho Ambiental de la UICN (ELC, por sus siglas en Inglés) organizaron un Curso de Especialización en Derecho Ambiental Internacional del 19 al 22 de Septiembre en la sede del Tribunal Permanente de Revisión del MERCOSUR en Asunción, Paraguay. El Curso fue auspiciado por la Agencia de Cooperación Regional del Gobierno de Francia, la Universidad Católica de Asunción y el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Paraguay. El objetivo principal del curso fue promover la especialización y actualización de profesionales y estudiantes del Cono Sur en diversos temas de Derecho Ambiental Internacional de interés para la región.
Para leer la nota completa haga un clic aquí.
English version
MOVING THE ETHICS RESOLUTIONS FORWARD
5 October 2005
 The newly re-constituted CEL Ethics Specialist Group convened a consultation workshop in Chicago entitled “Implementing the Third IUCN World Conservation Congress Ethics Resolutions” from 27 to 30 August 2005. The workshop was Group’s first meeting in the 2005-2008 Intersessional period following the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress ( WCC 3) held in Bangkok last November. Outcomes of the meeting, which discussed possible ways of advancing WCC Resolutions 3.020 (Drafting a code of ethics for biodiversity conservation) and 3.022 (Endorsement of the Earth Charter) include preparing a draft Code of Ethics for Biodiversity, collaboration with the Commission on Education and Communication ( CEC) and the Earth Charter Initiative to develop the World Conservation Learning Network, and agreement to conduct a feasibility study for the establishment of an Ethics Resource Centre to serve the IUCN community and others.
For a copy of the full report, click here.
To see WCC 3 Resolution 3.020, click here.
To see WCC 3 Resolution 3.022, click here.
GUIDE TO THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
16 September 2005
 The IUCN Environmental Law Centre is proud to announce the publication of the most recent addition to its respected “guide” series, the Explanatory Guide to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The Treaty, which entered into force on 29 June 2004, seeks to ensure the continued vitality of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, through shared international commitments to their conservation, and the creation of mechanisms by which they can be internationally shared. This Guide seeks to enable national legislative draftsmen, implementing agencies, NGOs, and others to understand and apply the Treaty in practical situations. Written by Gerald Moore and Witold Tymowski, the Guide’s publication is generously funded by the German Ministry for International Development (BMZ), with contributions from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It has also been co-sponsored by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).
To view the full story click here.
To download a copy of the publication click here.
UICN Mesoamèrica Presentó manual de derecho ambiental
6 septiembre 2005
 En una ceremonia que contó con las principales autoridades académicas y del sector gubernamental de Guatemala, la UICN-Unión Mundial para la Naturaleza por medio de su Oficina Regional para Mesoamérica (ORMA) y su Centro de Derecho Ambiental, presentó el pasado 25 de agosto el Manual de Derecho Ambiental en Centroamérica.
Nota completa
Full story
PARLIAMENTARIANS AND FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN CENTRAL AFRICA
26 August 2005
 A high level delegation from the Republic of Cameroon visited the IUCN Environmental Law Centre (ELC) as part of a preparatory mission for the second Conference on the Involvement of Parliamentarians in the Management of Central African Forest Ecosystems. Scheduled for November 2006 in Yaoundé, this conference follows the first conference held four years ago where a network of parliamentarians working on sustainable management of forest ecosystems was launched. One of the specific objectives of the second conference will be the harmonization of forestry laws and policies in 10 Central African states, namely, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Chad and Sao Tome and Principe. The conference is supported by the Minister of State of the Republic of Cameroon and will be jointly organized by the Cameroon Parliament and the IUCN Regional Office for Central Africa (IUCN-ROCA).
To view the full story, click here.
For more information on IUCN-ROCA, click here.
For more information on the planned conference (in French), click here.
CUSTOMARY WATER RIGHTS
19 August 2005
 Three comprehensive studies on customary water rights are now accessible online. These studies are the first outputs of a joint FAO/IUCN project, which aims at exploring the interface between customary and statutory water rights in a selected number of countries. Every study includes, among others, an analysis of the recognition of customary rights in the countries concerned, the statutory mechanisms to reconcile customary with statutory rights, the judicial mechanisms to settle disputes between customary and statutory rights, as well as an identification of the relevant government practices on water resources administration. This project is ongoing and further studies are being planned, with a view to preparing a comparative analysis and a joint FAO/IUCN publication.
For more information on the case studies click here.
For more information about the FAO Legal Office click here.
Droit de l'environnement au Sénégal et en Afrique de l'ouest
19 août 2005
 Laurent Granier, Conseiller Juridique de la mission de l'UICN au Sénégal et Point Focal pour le droit de l'environnement en Afrique de l'ouest, s'est rendu au Centre du Droit de l'environnement (CDE) de l'UICN du 16 au 19 août 2005 afin de renforcer les liens entre l'UICN au Sénégal et le programme droit de l'environnement de l'UICN. Il a présenté a l'équipe juridique et technique du CDE son travail au Sénégal et en Afrique de l'ouest, engageant ainsi un échange intéressant sur les différentes interconnections et défis relatifs aux travaux conduits aux niveaux national, régional et global. Une de ces activités, relative au développement d'une étude innovante sur les conventions locales pour la gestion des ressources naturelles et de l'environnement, fera l'objet d'une publication dans la collection politiques et droit de l'environnement du CDE. Laurent et les juristes du CDE ont également discuté nombre d'opportunités de collaboration entre l'UICN au Sénégal et en Afrique de l'ouest avec le CDE.
English version
Pour plus d'information sur la mission de l'UICN au Sénégal, cliquer ici.
Pour plus d'information sur le Bureau Régional de l'UICN en Afrique de l'Ouest, cliquer ici.
"Energy Law and Sustainable Development" Now in Chinese
3 August 2005
 Two years after the successful launch of "Energy Law and Sustainable Development," IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Paper No. 47, Law Press China has published the Chinese version of the sought-after book. The book was translated by Prof. Cao Ming-de, Professor of Environmental Law at Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongging, China and Associate Editor-in-Chief of Modern Law Science (a law journal). The translation was made possible with funding from the EU-China Legal and Judicial Cooperation Programme. The launch of the Chinese version comes just before the official announcement by the Chinese Government that it will host the Beijing International Renewable Energy Conference 2005 from 7 to 8 November 2005 as part of the follow-up process to the renewables 2004 conference hosted by the German government in Bonn in June 2004. To obtain a copy of the book, contact guoliang@lawpress.com.cn.
For information on the English version of the book, click here.
For more on the ELP's work on climate change and energy, click here.
To find out more about the Beijing conference, click here.
"Biodiversity, Law and Livelihoods: Bridging the North-South Divide."
27 July 2005
 From 10 to 15 of July 2005, more than 120 environmental experts from 27 nations representing universities from each continent gathered to participate in the 3rd Colloquium of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, hosted by Macquarie University (MU) in Sydney, Australia. They considered issues related to "Biodiversity Conservation, Law and Livelihoods: Bridging the North - South Divide" and how environmental law can bring about the policy, institutional and behavioural changes needed to deal with the root causes of biodiversity loss. Dr. Françoise Burhenne-Guilmin, Senior Counsel at the IUCN Environmental Law Centre, delivered the colloquium's keynote speech. Another highlight of the gathering was the Academy Distinguished Lectures delivered by Joseph Sax, Professor Emeritus of the University of California (at Berkeley). The papers presented will be published in the "Annals of the Academy" in a few months' time.
To view the full story, click here.
For more information on the Academy Colloquium click here.
Conservar el agua como paisaje
21 julio 2005
 La presión sobre los recursos hídricos es cada vez más acuciante y su conservación un imperativo para la supervivencia del planeta. ¿Como proteger frente a necesidades humanas crecientes? ¿Como asegurar que un incremento en el uso del agua para uso humano no vaya en detrimento del ecosistema? ¿Cual es el rol del derecho en la conservación de los recursos hídricos? ¿El paisaje como categoría jurídica puede servir para la conservación de un ecosistema de agua dulce? Estos y otros interrogantes fueron motivo de debate en un concurrido evento internacional organizado en la Real Academia de Jurisprudencia y Legislación de Madrid por la Fundación Erdély (Instituto Europeo de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Ciencias Ambientales). El Dr. Alejandro Iza, Jefe del Programa de Derecho Ambiental de la UICN presentó en el taller el tema de la conservación de los paisajes acuáticos. La Fundación Erdély organiza mensualmente estos talleres que abordan un tema monográfico e inicia proximamente el Master en Derecho Ambiental y Gobernabilidad de los Recursos Naturales con titulo propio de la Universidad de Alcalá de Henares.
Para mayor información escribir a ambiental@madrid.com.
English version
New Legal Officer at the ELC
18 July 2005
 The IUCN Environmental Law Centre extends a warm welcome to Mr. Thomas Greiber, a young and highly motivated German lawyer selected by an IUCN panel after a competitive global hiring process. Thomas obtained his law degree from the University of Cologne Law School and specialized in international environmental law at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where he received his Master of Laws (LL.M). Previously he worked for several German and international environmental institutions. He is not new to the ELC, having been an intern in 2004. He speaks fluent German, English and French.
New Procedure for Nomination to CEL membership
13 July 2005
  The IUCN Statutes provide that all Commission membership expires three months after the World Conservation Congress. It is then for the Chair of each Commission to determine Commission membership, with the help of the Steering Committee. The CEL Chair and Deputy Chair have prepared a letter addressed to each person who was admitted as a CEL member during the last Intersessional period (2001 to 2004), advising former CEL members of the new procedure for nomination to CEL membership. This procedure was developed in consultation with the Steering Committee members who were present at the meeting held in Cape Town from 13 to 15 June 2005. Persons who have never been CEL members but are interested in applying for membership will also find information in the link found below.
For more information on the new procedure, click here.
IUCN Academy of Environmental Law Research Studies
11 July 2005
 "The Law of Energy for Sustainable Development," and its companion volume, "Compendium of Sustainable Energy Laws," are now available from Cambridge University Press. These books focus on the theme of energy, which was the research focus of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law for 2003. Volume 1 consists of papers first presented at the Academy's 1st colloquium of the same title, held in Shanghai, China in November 2003. Volume 2 assembles for the first time the legal instruments that are recognized as constituting the core of the law of energy for sustainable development.
For more information on Volume 1, click here
For more information on Volume 2, click here
For more information on the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, click here
Honorary CEL Members Appointed
6 July 2005
 Upon the unanimous recommendation of the Steering Committee, the Chair of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) appointed the following persons as honorary members of CEL: Dr. Julio A. Barberis (Argentina); Hon. Justice P.N. Bhagwati (India); Professor Patricia W. Birnie (U.K.); Dr. Wolfgang E. Burhenne (Germany); Ms. Angela S. Cropper (Trinidad and Tobago); Dr. Parvez Hassan (Pakistan); Mr. Donald W. Kaniaru (Kenya); Professor Alexandre Kiss (France); Ambassador Tommy Koh (Singapore); Dr. Charles Odidi Okidi (Kenya); Professor Nicholas A. Robinson (U.S.A.); Mr. J. William Futrell (U.S.A.); Professor Dinah L. Shelton (U.S.A.); and Hon. Justice Paul Stein (Australia). The new Bylaws adopted by the CEL Steering Committee at its meeting held in Cape Town created the new category of "honorary members," described as highly qualified and distinguished lawyers who have made an outstanding lifelong contribution to environmental law.
For more information on CEL membership click here
For more information on the CEL Bylaws click here
Philippine Course Bears Fruit
30 June 2005
 Five participants of the "Environmental Law Training Course for University Professors in the Philippines" held in Subic Bay, Philippines from 9 to 13 November 2004 have formed an environmental law group called "KALIKUPAN" based in Cebu, Philippines. KALIKUPAN means "environment" in the Cebuano language. The focus of the group will be on education and ensuring compliance with the law. Their first project is an environmental law lecture series which was launched on 18 June 2005. Each lecture is followed by an immersion and field activity related to the subject matter. The University of Cebu has agreed to set up an Environmental Center, with which KALIKUPAN will be associated. The Environmental Center's primary purpose will be to build the capacity of local government officials and civil society at the grassroots level. For more information on KALIKUPAN, please contact kalikupan@yahoogroups.com or gollyramos@yahoo.com.
For more information on the Philippine course, click here.
New CEL Steering Committee Sets New Directions in Cape Town
22 June 2005
 The IUCN Commission on Environmental Law's (CEL) new Steering Committee met for the first time in Cape Town, South Africa, from 13 to 15 June 2005 and set new directions for CEL in record time. The Steering Committee decided to create a new category of CEL members, i.e., "honorary members" to render tribute to those who have dedicated their lives to environmental law. These and other policies are embodied in the new Bylaws adopted by the Steering Committee that shall govern the Commission for the next four years. The Steering Committee also approved regulations for Specialist Groups operations and the CEL policy on partnerships and collaboration. Specialist Groups were reviewed and new ones established, namely, a Specialist Group on protected areas and another one on environmental governance. In addition, Task Forces on natural disasters and the Arctic regime were also established. The new procedure for admission to CEL membership was also put in place. More detailed information on these and other decisions taken by the Steering Committee at its meeting will be posted on the CEL Forum and the ELP website in the coming days.
To view the full story, click here.
French version
Spanish version
A Tribute to Prof. Alexandre Kiss
15 June 2005
 Law for a Green Planet Institute, an IUCN member active in the area of environmental law, paid tribute to Prof. Alexandre Kiss, a long-standing and well-respected member of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) at the 9th International Conference on Environmental Law held in São Paulo, Brazil from 31 May to 3 June 2005. On that occasion, Prof. Kiss received the Dr. Wolfgang Burhenne Award from Ms. Sheila Abed, Chair, IUCN CEL and Dr. Alejandro Iza, Head, IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP). The award was bestowed on Prof. Kiss for his outstanding contribution to environmental law. The conference, entitled "Landscape, Water, and Law" was co-sponsored by the IUCN ELP. Several IUCN ELP experts delivered papers on issues such as global and regional instruments on landscape, threats to landscapes, landscape and seascape protection, and landscapes and river ecosystems.
For more information on the Law for a Green Planet Institute and the conference, click here.
Success story in Lebanon
13 June 2005
 As part of its capacity building activities, the IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP) conducted a training course on the application of environmental legislation in Lebanon at the Beirut Bar Association. The course gathered legal and technical experts as well as governmental officials from different relevant ministries. It is part of an ongoing cooperation agreement between the ELP, the Lebanese Ministry for the Environment, and other Lebanese partners under the SELDAS project. Rich interventions and discussions provided a great understanding of the key issues at stake when addressing compliance and enforcement of environmental legislation in general and Lebanon, in particular. A theoretical segment was followed by a practical one, where participants prepared a draft manual of good practice on compliance and enforcement. The SELDAS project will be completed in the summer of 2005. A major publication of environmental law in Lebanon will be available soon.
For more information about the SELDAS project click here.
For more information about the IUCN ELP Capacity Building Initiative click here.
Major Boost in Environmental Protection in Lebanon
9 June 2005
 Lebanese legal specialists, government officials and practitioners involved in legislative drafting attended a training course on drafting environmental legislation organized by the IUCN Environmental Law Programme and the Lebanese Ministry of Environment in Beirut. For two days, IUCN secretariat, IUCN members, and members of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law shared their experiences on drafting environmental legislation. The strong interest shown by the participants along with their high level of knowledge enabled a participatory and meaningful session, which included a theoretical part, and a practical exercise where they developed draft legislation of their choice on three different topics: air, water and biodiversity. This exercise brought them face-to-face with the major issues to be considered when drafting environmental law. The course is part of SELDAS, an ambitious project for strengthening environmental legislation development and application in Lebanon.
For more information about the SELDAS project click here.
For more information on the IUCN ELP Capacity Building Initiative click here.
Protecting the Okavango Delta
23 May 2005
 The Okavango Delta forms the core of the largest wetland of international importance listed as a Ramsar site. Recognizing the Delta's significance, IUCN's Water and Nature Initiative (WANI) team held its 5th advisory and coordination at Maun, Botswana from 9 to 15 May 2005. In addition to a review of WANI's work from 2001 to 2004 and planning for the future, two days of the meeting focused on community-based work, economics and finance, and institutional coordination and integration issues relating to the Okavango Delta Management Project (ODMP). IUCN is a technical partner in the project and is one of the lead agencies for the policy, planning and strategy component of the ODMP, as well as its communication component. The IUCN ELP is the coordinator for WANI's Governance, Law and Institutions component.
For more on the IUCN Environmental Law Centre's work on water and wetlands, click here.
To access the IUCN Environmental Law Programme's publications on water, click here.
For more information on WANI, click here.
For more information on the Ramsar Convention, click here.
Manual de Derecho Ambiental en Centroamérica
9 mayo 2005
 El Manual de Derecho Ambiental en Centroamérica ha sido lanzado por la Oficina Regional de UICN para Mesoamerica (ORMA). Esta publicación, un esfuerzo conjunto del Programa de Derecho Ambiental de UICN y ORMA, fue dirigida y editada por la Dra. Grethel Aguilar y el Dr. Alejandro Iza. La publicación, que cubre una amplia gama de temas que van desde conceptos generales y su aplicación práctica hasta cuestiones ambientales típicas de la región Centroamericana como la vulnerbilidad ambiental, los desastres naturales, la participación pública o la dimensión ambiental del comercio, tiene por objeto guiar a un amplio grupo de usuarios interesados en el derecho y las políticas ambientales en la región. El manual, la primera publicación de este tipo, muestra el compromiso de la UICN respecto a promover el avance del derecho ambiental y el fortalecimiento de las capacidades en los países en vías de desarrollo. La producción de este libro ha sido posible gracias al apoyo del Ministerio Aleman de Cooperación Económica y Desarrollo (BMZ).
Para mayor información sobre la Oficina Regional para Mesoamérica haga un click aquí.
Para ver la version electrónica del libro haga un click aquí.
English version
Enhancing Water Governance in West Asia
26 April 2005
 Ms. Sheila Abed de Zavala, Chair of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) and Dr. Alejandro Iza, Head of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP), participated as resource persons in a workshop on water governance held in Amman, Jordan on 18 April 2005. The workshop gathered public officials and policy makers from Syria, Iraq, Kazakhstan and Jordan to discuss how to develop regulatory frameworks for water resources and promote good water governance in West Asia. The workshop also offered a platform for debate to improve coordination and sharing of experience between those countries, which is particularly important to prevent the shortage and conflict over water from becoming a significant threat to security in the Middle East.
For the full story, click here.
For more information on the ELP's work on water and wetlands, click here.
ECOLEX MEETING
4 April 2005
 The Technical Group of ECOLEX met in Bonn at the IUCN Environmental Law Centre March 17 and 18. It reviewed a number of technical issues related to the management and functioning of this 'Gateway to environmental law'. ECOLEX is maintained and operated by IUCN in partnership with FAO and UNEP, and provides access to legal information regarding environmental protection, natural resources management, and food and agriculture. The Management Unit of IUCN is provided by the IUCN Environmental Law Centre, which hosts the ECOLEX server. ECOLEX is fed by data held by IUCN in its Environmental Law Information System (ELIS), in as far as treaties and legal and policy literature are concerned, and by FAO in FAOLEX, for national legislation. UNEP is currently undertaking to populate the court decisions data base, via the IUCN-UNEP Judicial Portal. In order for the ECOLEX interface to operate successfully, a constant attention to harmonization of data presentation and content, as well as codes, keywords, subject areas and other common features is required. The meeting identified a series of steps necessary to improve the efficiency of ECOLEX, and agreed on a calendar for implementation.
For access to ECOLEX click here.
Environmental Law in Lebanon
18 March 2005
As part of their collaboration process within the SELDAS project, the IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP) and the Ministry for the Environment of Lebanon successfully completed the first series of lectures on introduction to environmental law. The lectures were delivered at Anglophone and Francophone Lebanese universities and the Beirut Bar Association by Dr. Alejandro Iza, Head of the ELP, Ms Samar Malek Azar and Ms Maya Abi Zeid Daou from the MoE, Ms Manal Moussallem and Ms Carla Hanna from the UNESCO-Cousteau Ecotechnie Chair at the University of Balamand, Dr. Walid Chahine and Mr. Ricardo Khoury from Earth Link and Advanced Resources Development, and Claudiane Chevalier, a French lawyer collaborating with the ELP. Dr Iza met with Dr. Berj Hatjian, Director General of the MoE to discuss the future of the IUCN-MoE collaboration and the ways in which IUCN can support Lebanon in its endeavors to build institutional capacities for the development and application of environmental law. As a follow up, a training of government officials and decision-makers on drafting and implementation of environmental legislation will be conducted, followed by another round of lectures on environmental liability.
For more information about the SELDAS project click here.
To learn more about the IUCN capacity building initiative click here.
French Version
ELC CHAIR IN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
3 March 2005
 As part of their extracurricular activities, a group of master students from different countries visited the ELC to learn about its work. Francoise Burhenne-Guilmin, Senior Counsel provided an overview of IUCN and the Centre. Other legal officers also interacted with the students and participated in discussions on the state of the environment, problems of enforcement, political will, the Kyoto Protocol, sharing of water resources and protected areas. The students are part of an international masters programme on Resource Management in the Tropics and Subtropics at the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, where the ELC has a chair on international environmental law. The environmental law course, which is taught by ELC legal staff, focuses on natural resource, biological diversity, climate change, desertification and soils.
For more information about the masters course click here.
To learn more about the ELP capacity building initiative click here.
FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
1 March 2005
 Volume I of "International Water Governance: Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems" has just been published under the IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Paper series. It is the first installment in a set of references designed to provide a better understanding of the existing governance arrangements for the preservation of freshwater ecosystems and to assist in the on-going review and evolution of such arrangements. The freshwater series moves beyond the compilation of instruments to include an analysis of the legal arrangements affecting the conservation of these valuable ecosystems. Volume I focuses on selected shared river agreements from around the world and other multilateral environmental agreements that might impact on the conservation of freshwater ecosystems. It will be followed by a compilation and analysis of selected national legislation, court and tribunal decisions, and soft law instruments.
To obtain a copy of the publication click here.
To learn more about the water related work of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme click here.
WEST AFRICAN DELEGATION VISITS THE ELC
28 February 2005
 A high level West African delegation visited the IUCN Environmental Law Centre (ELC) as part of a European tour to present Phase II of the REDUSO (renforcement de la durabilité sociale de la lutte contre la desertification or reinforcing social sustainability in the combat against desertification) project to their European partners, including Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The delegation discussed possible areas of collaboration with the legal staff and toured the ELC library and documentation centre. The distinguished delegation consisted of Mr Ibrahim Thiaw, IUCN Regional Director for West Africa, Mr Musa Mbenga, Executive Secretary for the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel, Mr Félix Dansou, Commissioner in charge of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment for the West African Economic and Monetary Union, and Mr Malick Diallo, Director of Environment for the West African Economic and Monetary Union.
For more information on REDUSO, click here.
New CEL Steering Committee Appointed
23 February 2005
 The IUCN Council appointed the members of the new IUCN Commission on Environmental Law Steering Committee at the Council's 63rd meeting held from 14 to 16 February 2005 in Gland. The CEL Steering Committee now consists of Ms. Abed as Chair, Prof. Michel Prieur of the University of Limoges as Deputy Chair, Dr. Alejandro Iza of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme as ex officio member, Prof. Antonio Herman V. Benjamin (Brazil), Prof. Edith Brown Weiss (U.S.A.), Ms. Melinda Janki (Guyana), Mr. Veit Koester (Denmark), Dr. Antonio G. M. La Viña (Philippines), Ms. Al-Sharifeh Nawzat (Jordan), Dr. Samuel Nguiffo (Cameroon), Prof. Daniel Sabsay (Argentina), Mr. John Scanlon (Australia), Prof. Robyn Tanya Stein (South Africa), and Dr. Tatiana R. Zaharchenko (Ukraine).
For more information on the Commission on Environmental Law, click here.
For more information on the Steering Committee, click here.
KYOTO PROTOCOL A TURNING POINT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
16 February 2005
 IUCN – The World Conservation Union celebrates today’s entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement aimed at slowing global warming, but warns much deeper cuts in CO2 emissions and adaptation measures in natural resource management are needed to avoid dangerous levels of climate change. “This day will be remembered as the day when the world went to work on emission reductions as well as the start of a new era in international collaboration for the sake of our planet and its people. It also launches the most ambitious attempt to harness economic forces to tackle the most dramatic global environmental challenge,” said IUCN President Mr. Valli Moosa. Temperatures have risen by more than 0.6 °C since the start of industrialization, and this has been linked to a 30% increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. The current level of CO2 in the atmosphere is around 376 parts per million.
Find the IUCN News release here.
Find the IUCN Climate Change Initiative here.
Capacity Building for Water Law in Southern Africa
4 February 2005
 Prof. Robyn Stein a CEL member who serves as a tribunalist of the recently-created Water Tribunal of South Africa and teaches at the University of Witwatersrand recently visited the ELC. She met staff and discussed the programme for building capacity in water law in Southern Africa with the Head of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP). The University of Witwatersrand, one of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law's "partner centres," focuses on training and education in water law to fill an urgent need to provide a high standard of training, research and education in the field of water law. The ongoing collaboration between the ELP and the University envisions the joint design of courses and visits by some of the ELP's water law experts to the University to participate in the programme as resource persons and to interact with students from the region.
For more information on the Mandela Institute, click here.
For more information on the capacity building programme in water law in Southern Africa, click here.
Governance of the Mediterranean Sea
28 January 2005
The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN-Med) along with the IUCN Global Marine Programme and the IUCN Envir onmental Law Programme (ELP) have been working for the last 18 months on Mediterranean Sea governance, a relatively "new" issue. This IUCN initiative which draws on the experience of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) Ocean Law and Governance Specialist Group aims at establishing a dialogue between key sectors and actors in the region. To better understand this issue a CD has been launched. It includes recommendations by experts, case studies and relevant documents, and describes future challenges. It is hoped that the CD can inform the relevant international processes in designing an integrated legal system for the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable fishing in the Mediterranean Sea.
For the full story, click here.
To access the content of the CD click here.
For more information on the CEL Ocean Law and Governance Specialist Group, click here.
DR ALEJANDRO IZA TO HEAD IUCN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW PROGRAMME
14 January 2005
 Dr. Alejandro Iza has been appointed as the new Head of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme and Director of the IUCN Environmental Law Centre. Alejandro obtained a Doctorate in Law from the University of Buenos Aires in 1999, and has worked with the IUCN Environmental Law Programme since that time, most recently as Senior Legal Officer. Alejandro has vast international experience, and has worked and studied in many developing and developed countries. He is fluent in Spanish, English and German. Alejandro succeeds John Scanlon, who has served as Head of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme and Director of the IUCN Environmental Law Centre since October 2001. John is moving to Sydney, Australia with his wife Xenya to take up a senior government position.
NEW IUCN COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CHAIR VISITS IUCN BONN AND GLAND
12 January 2005
 The newly elected Chair of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law (CEL), Mrs. Sheila Abed de Zavala, has visited the IUCN Environmental Law Centre (ELC) in Bonn, Germany and IUCN Headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. During her visit Mrs. Abed was shown around the extensive ELC library and had the opportunity to meet with the founding Chair of CEL, Dr. Wolfgang Burhenne, the outgoing Head of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme, John Scanlon and with staff of the ELC. During her visit to IUCN Headquarters, Mrs. Abed met with the IUCN Director General Achim Steiner, the Director of Global Programme, Dr. Bill Jackson and staff from Global Programmes and other units of IUCN. The Chair of CEL will present her nominations for the CEL Deputy Chair and CEL Steering Committee to the newly elected IUCN Council in February of this year.
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