• Biodiversity
• Climate Change and Energy
• Ecosystem Services
• Environmental Governance
• Forests
• Protected Areas
• Soil
• Water

IUCN CEL Steering Committee member participated in first WARC meeting
12 February 2008
IUCN CEL Vice Chair Ms. AL-Sharifeh Nawzat bint Ali attended the first meeting of the West Asia Regional Committee (WARC) on Monday 21 January 2008 in Amman, Jordan, at the invitation of Dr. Odeh Al Jayyousi, IUCN Regional Director of West Asia Office (WAME). She took the opportunity to inform participants about the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL)’s work and explore ways to cooperate in the future. The meeting discussed many issues, including the priorities of each country, that will be synthesized into a document reflecting the region's priorities. The participation of AL-Sharifeh Nawzat as a CEL Steering Committee member was very welcomed and lots of ideas were exchanged towards helping the members in some areas that would need a legal input. The participants also explored the possibilities of active participation in the upcoming IUCN congress in Barcelona, with the aim of being actively present in all key activities. AL-Sharifeh Nawzat requested the participants to share with her by e-mail the names of active environmental lawyers in the region, with whose work they are familiar in the field of environmental law and commitment to voluntary work, in order for her to recommend them to become members of CEL. She will contribute a paragraph on this issue in the next newsletter of the IUCN Regional Office of West Asia (WAME), targeting all regional members and helping to remind the participants of what was discussed. Participants were encouraged to view the Environmental Law Programme (ELP) and CEL website for more information on programmes and activities they could benefit from. She wishes to remind existing members of CEL to use actively the CEL List email forum, as well as to update their contact information on the CoReg system as needed.

A Change of Climate
25 January 2008
Prof. Meinhard Doelle, a specialist in international and domestic law relating to climate change, has joined the staff of the IUCN Environmental Law Centre for five months to work on linkages between biodiversity and climate change. Meinhard is currently the Associate Director of the Marine and Environmental Law Institute at Dalhousie Law School, Halifax, in Canada and a member of the IUCN CEL Specialist Group on Energy. During his stay in Bonn from January to May, 2008, he will collaborate with the ELC in developing a project involving research on linkages between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements. A project on law and policy approaches to offshore renewable energies such as offshore wind, tidal and wave energy is also underway.

New publication on Access and Benefit-sharing
17 January 2008
The IUCN Environmental Law Centre has published the first three volumes of the ‘ABS Series’ – a five-volume sub-series of the ELP’s Environmental Policy and Law Papers. The Series provides intensively researched expert analysis by internationally respected authors and contributors on key issues of access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing under the CBD. The third book – A Moving Target: Genetic Resources and Options for Tracking and Monitoring their International Flows, edited by Manuel Ruiz Muller and Isabel Lapeña (in collaboration with the Sociedad Peruana del Derecho Ambiental (SPDA)) – is now available in print and for download. This book examines the question of how genetic resources can be tracked and monitored, an element or mechanism that has been indicated would be essential for ensuring that ABS rules and requirements are complied with. It focuses on a number of different perspectives on this issue, considering legal, practical, economic and scientific approaches and issues.
For the full story click here.
ABS Book 3

ECOLEX Steering Committee Meeting
20 December 2007
The Steering Committee of ECOLEX met at the IUCN Environmental Law Centre in Bonn on December 12-13. Present were representatives of FAO, IUCN, and UNEP - including the leaders of the environmental law units of the partner organisations: Stefano Burchi (FAO), Alejandro Iza (IUCN) and Iwona Rummel-Bulska (UNEP). This was an important meeting, taking place at a time when the new ECOLEX interface is being finalized. The Steering Committee expressed its satisfaction at the work accomplished since its last meeting, which included a migration of the IUCN information system, and the new ECOLEX interface betwen ELIS and FAOLEX. The Steering Committee took major decisions, regarding the future work of the partnership, with a view to establishing ECOLEX as the global hub of information in the field of environmental and natural resources law. The Committee stressed the necessity for the three oganisations to inrease their support and to fundraise to achieve this goal.

Conservation with Justice: A Rights-based Approach
10 December 2007
As there is no generally accepted definition of a rights-based approach to conservation, multiple interpretations exist which leads to confusion when the term is used. The Environmental Law Centre (ELC) has initiated further research and debate about the application of such an approach in order to evaluate the potential merit of the concept and enable it to be ‘operationalized’. On 3rd and 4th of December, 2007, the Environmental Law Centre organized a workshop on rights-based approaches and the environment at the facilities of the George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC, USA. The meeting, which brought together ELC staff and a number of members of the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL), provided an opportunity to discuss the general legal framework of the rights-based approach concept as well as its specific application in the context of protected areas, forests and climate change. As a short-term goal, the Environmental Law Centre together with CEL experts will develop a publication on the rights-based approach which will be launched at the next CBD Conference of the Parties (19-30 May 2008 in Bonn, Germany). In this publication, it shall be examined how rights-based approaches could be utilized to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of conservation measures, as well as to promote justice.

ELC hosts CEL Law Papers Award winner
20 November 2007
Tran Thi Huong Trang from Vietnam, one of the winners of this year's Alexandre Kiss Environmental Law Papers Award, sponsored by the Commission on Environmental Law, was visiting the Environmental Law Centre in Bonn in early November. As winner of the second prize for her paper 'Legislation on Genetic Resources Conservation in Vietnam', she had been awarded a ten-day internship at the ELC. There, she had the opportunity to meet with the legal officers and discuss a broad range of issues relating to biodiversity conservation, climate change and energy, sustainable use of natural resources, invasive alien species, the marine area, trade and environment, species conservation and CITES. Tran said that the ten days in the ELC were very meaningful for her: “It is a great source of encouragement for a young environmental lawyer like me, to make every effort to pursue a career in the development of environmental law. After ten days, the biggest attainment for me is that I realize my vision has changed. It has broadened and deepened. I learned more about new issues of international environmental law which need further research for development. I met outstanding people in the ELC, from whom I could learn new ways to solve problems and who shared with me their experience and profound knowledge."
To view the paper 'Legislation on Genetic Resources Conservation in Vietnam', click here.

High Sea Governance for the 21st Century
25 October 2007
The Experts Informal Workshop on High Seas Governance in the 21st Century was held from October 17 to 19, 2007, and brought together over 50 global experts on international marine policy, science, law and economics to address urgent concerns about how to govern the high seas and what global priorities should be when it comes to the protection of the marine environment in areas beyond national jurisdiction. An initiative of the CEL High Seas Subgroup of the Oceans, Coasts and Coral Reefs Specialist Group, the Workshop was organized with the co-operation and support of The World Conservation Union (IUCN), the University of New South Wales Law School, Pace Law School, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Bard Center for Environmental Policy and Juice Energy Inc.
For the full story click here.
Press Release

The Law on Glaciers Conservation
20 October 2007
During the 2nd Latin American Congress of National Parks and other Protected Areas in Bariloche, Argentina, the IUCN Environmental Law Centre (ELC) launched a new EPLP Publication. The book “Aspectos Jurídicos de la Conservación de los Glaciares” (Legal Aspects of the Conservation of Glaciers), a joint effort of the ELC and the IUCN Commission of Environmental Law, analyzes the legal situation of glaciers in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Perú, Ecuador and Venezuela, and suggests a series of recommendations for improving their legal status and conservation.
Dr. Alejandro Iza, Director of the IUCN Environmental Law Centre, emphasized that the book is the first of its kind. This publication aims at raising awareness on the part of the general public regarding the importance glaciers for the preservation of mountain ecosystems, their role as environmental services providers and their importance for the livelihoods of local populations.
Full Story
Comunicado completo
To download a copy of the the book, click here.

New Book Series on Access and Benefit-sharing
12 October 2007
In one of IUCN’s three Side Events organized during the Fifth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (WG-ABS) in Montreal, Canada, the IUCN Environmental Law Centre launched the first three books of the ‘ABS Series’ – a five-volume sub-series of the ELP’s Environmental Policy and Law Papers. The Series provides intensively researched expert analysis by internationally respected authors and contributors on key issues of access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing under the CBD. The books no. 1, 2 and 3 address the ‘access’ and the ‘user side’ of ABS as well as questions around tracking and monitoring the international flows of genetic resources. The event benefited greatly from the presence of several of the authors and editors – Tomme Young, Morten Walløe Tvedt and Manuel Ruiz – who presented concise and thought-provoking introductions to the content and main results of the books. The launching and distribution of the first three volumes was well received, noticeable from the 600 hard paper copies picked up by delegates during the launch and the following days. It is hoped that the current negotiations of an international regime on ABS as well as efforts in ABS implementation on national and regional levels will benefit from the analysis, findings and suggested approaches presented. The first two books are available online. The third book, which was released as advance copy, will soon be available in its final typeset version at the ELP publications website.
For the full story click here.
ABS Book 1
ABS Book 2

Regional Guidelines for Soil Legislation in the Balkans
10 October 2007
An international conference was held in Belgrade, Serbia from 25-28 September 2007 on soil erosion and torrent control as a factor in sustainable river basin management, to celebrate 100 years of experience with soil erosion control in the Balkan region. A broad range of topics were discussed including river basin dynamics, river basin models, GIS and remote sensing methodologies and applications, soil conservation strategies, capacity building in science, education, legislative, policy and strategic techniques, biological techniques, methods to determine flood zones and erosion risk zones, influence of land use on soil erosion, and impact of climate change on land, water and vegetation. A key aspect of the conference was the discussions on the benefits of a uniform approach in legislative development and institutional roles for soil and water conservation across the Balkan countries.
For the full story click here.

Armed Conflict and the Environment
5 October 2007
On September 17-18, 2007, the CEL Specialist Group on Armed Conflict and the Environment co-convened an international meeting on "Managing Natural Resources in Post-Conflict Societies: Lessons in Making the Transition to Peace." Approximately 35 people participated in the meeting, which was held in Geneva in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch. Co-Chairs Carl Bruch and Michael Bothe led the meeting, with Hassan Partow from UNEP. CEL Steering Committee Member Nawzat Ali also participated. The meeting identified a range of post-conflict countries in which natural resources played an important role in peacebuilding and recovery. The participants shared observations regarding lessons learned and considered a range of follow-up actions to improve post-conflict management of natural resources, particularly as it relates to peacebuilding. The discussions from the meeting will frame the analysis that the Specialist Group is undertaking on post-conflict natural resources management.

Promoting the teaching of environmental law
19 September 2007
The IUCN Academy of Environmental Law held the first meeting of its Teaching and Academic Capacity-Building Committee at the Environmental Law Centre in Bonn on September 13-14 2007. The aim was to identify strategies for promoting the teaching of environmental law in regions where there is a need for both qualified teachers and new courses. The Committee developed a detailed work plan for recommendation to the Governing Council of the Academy, which includes proposals to: include on the Academy’s web-site details of courses and expertise within the Academy’s member institutions; the development of a “teaching the teachers” course by the Academy to assist in developing capacity to teach environmental law; investigation of the needs and capacities of member institutions with respect to the use of internet technologies for cooperative teaching.
For the full story click here.
IUCN Academy of Environmental Law

Asia Regional Conservation Forum
18 September 2007
The Asia Regional Conservation Forum, the region’s biggest and most important conservation event, was held 10-13 September in Kathmandu, Nepal. During this event, members of the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) from three Asian countries - Bangladesh, Nepal, and Singapore - met with CEL Chair Sheila Abed. CEL members had a unique opportunity to meet informally with the Chair, describe their work, express their interest in future collaboration and make requests for additional support. The Chair explained several CEL initiatives, including the Help Desk and the Alexandre Kiss Environmental Law Papers Award competition, and discussed plans for the 2008 World Conservation Congress.

International Forum on Soil, Society and Global Change in Iceland
17 September 2007
Members of the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) participated in the International Forum on Soil, Society and Global Change at Selfoss in Iceland on 31 August-4 September 2007 (pictured here with the President of the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation, Professor Miodrag Zlatic from University of Belgrade, Serbia). The Forum was organized by the Icelandic Government as part of its centenary celebrations of 100 years of continuous soil conservation in Iceland, under the patronage of the President of Iceland. The aim of the Forum was to elaborate on the synergistic roles of soil conservation and land restoration in meeting local, regional and global environmental and social challenges. The important role of soil as a common denominator for the successful implementation of key Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) received particular attention. As such, the Forum brought together around 150 key stakeholders and specialists from around the world, representing a broad spectrum of disciplines and interests.
For the full story click here.

Sharing experiences on shared waters
2 August 2007
A number of representatives from local governments, NGOs, civil society, and IUCN partners have been trained recently in legal and institutional aspects relating to shared waters in Mesoamerica. A training programme, organised by IUCN Mesoamerica and the IUCN Environmental Law Centre, was conducted in the following border areas: Mexico-Guatemala (Suchiate and Coatán Rivers); Guatemala-El Salvador (Paz River); and Costa Rica-Panamá (Sixaola River), all areas in which IUCN Mesoamérica is working through its Water Management Unit (Suchiate and Coatán Rivers through the Tacaná Project) and through Alianzas Programme (through the Guatemala-El Salvador consortium of Rio Paz, and the Costa Rica-Panamá Consortium of Talamanca-Bocas del Toro). The programme consisted of three parts, including the presentation of a new EPLP publication entitled Gobernanza de Aguas Compartidas: Aspectos Jurídicos e Institucionales (Shared Water Governance: Legal and Institutional Aspects), followed by a training session with different modules, and finished with a debate and roundtable discussions to analyse ways to improve existing water and other resources' governance arrangements in the aforementioned areas. The EPLP publication used in the training session was specifically developed for Central America, a region which has approximately 40 % of its territory within shared basins, and with a view to responding to some of the critical questions relating to institutions, principles and agreements governing these resources.
To access the press releases of this training programme (in Spanish) click here.

CEL Steering Committee Vice Chair visits ELC
6 July 2007
Melinda Janki, Vice Chair of the CEL Steering Committee and Co-Chair of the Protected Areas Specialist Group, visited the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) this week. Coming directly from the meeting of the CEL Specialist Group Co-Chairs that was held in Istanbul last week, her visit provided a useful opportunity to discuss the work programme for the Indigenous Peoples Specialist Group, potential opportunities to contribute to CBD CoP9 and the IUCN World Conservation Congress in October 2008 and potential project ideas with a view to the 2009-2012 Programme Plan.

Full of eastern promise - CEL Specialists meet on the Bosphorus
5 July 2007
On 29-30 June, the Chairs of the 12 Specialist Groups of IUCN's Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) met in Istanbul to discuss how to coordinate their work, to ensure that the Specialist Groups complement each others' efforts and contribute to the work of IUCN. The CEL Chair, Sheila Abed, invited representatives from each IUCN Region to the meeting. For the first time, the Chairs of the Specialist Groups were able to discuss the ways in which CEL may more effectively meet the needs of IUCN Members and the IUCN Secretariat. The Head of the Environmental Law Programme (ELP) and Director of the Environmental Law Centre (ELC), Dr. Alejandro Iza also participated, as well as CEL Steering Committee Member Prof. Antonio Herman Benjamin. Their presence contributed to the success of the meeting.

IUCN CEL Steering Committee member to take senior position in Jordan
22 June 2007
IUCN CEL Vice Chair Ms. AL-Sharifeh Nawzat bint Ali has been appointed by the Minister of Environment of Jordan to be his Legal Adviser on International Environmental Law issues, in Amman, starting end of July 2007. In addition to this post, Nawzat will retain the files she handled for the past five years as part of her current post as the Attaché, Environmental Affairs/Legal Adviser at the Permanent Mission of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. Nawzat is the first Jordanian and Arab to obtain a master’s degree in International Environmental Law and has more than 15 years experience with environmental issues nationally in Jordan, regionally in West Asia and North Africa and on an international level, working with Law Firms, Private Sector, NGOs, IGOs and Government on different environmental subjects and with various MEAs and International Environmental Organizations and Institutions. Among the many subjects are: Trade and Environment negotiations, Enforcement and Compliance, Armed Conflict and the Environment, the Chemicals negotiations (Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions & SAICM), Ramsar Convention and CITES.

Alexandre Kiss Environmental Law Papers Award
19 June 2007
Last year the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) launched a Call for Papers, aiming mainly at encouraging the work of young environmental lawyers. During the last Steering Committee meeting, it was decided that the award was to be named after Prof. Alexandre Kiss, who passed away earlier this year. Prof. Kiss was one of the pioneers in research on international environmental law, and a Honorary CEL Member. The authors of the two best papers have been awarded a ten-day internship at the ELC in Bonn, with coverage of their travel and accommodation costs, while the three best papers will be published in a journal. The selection committee was composed of Prof. Edith Brown Weiss, Prof. Michel Prieur and Dr. Alejandro Iza. The winners of the first CEL “Alexandre Kiss Environmental Law Papers Award” are Louise Camenzuli (1st place), Tran Thi Huong Trang (2nd place) and Paule Jessie Nanfah (3rd place). The call for papers 2007 will soon be announced.
Versión español

IUCN Director General visits ELC
15 June 2007
On June 14 Julia Marton-Lefèvre, the IUCN Director General, visited the IUCN Environmental Law Centre in Bonn, Germany. In her endeavors to get to know staff members and IUCN offices around the world she took the opportunity to visit the ELC. She met with the Director Dr. Alejandro Iza and his team to exchange thoughts about the Environmental Law Programme. She was also introduced to the resources available in the Information and Documentation Unit, including ECOLEX, the internet database on Environmental Law developed by IUCN in cooperation with FAO and UNEP. Stimulating discussions were followed by a meeting with Dr. Wolfgang Burhenne, the Director of the International Council of Environmental Law. Her stay in Bonn concluded with a courtesy visit to the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) where she visited the new BfN building and met with Prof. Dr. Hartmut Vogtmann, the BfN President, and some representatives of environmental organizations based in Bonn.

EIA transfronteriza en Centroamérica
8 junio 2007
Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental Transfronteriza en Centroamérica - Lineamientos generales, es el nombre una nueva publicación de la Serie de Política y Derecho Ambiental, publicada en conjunto por la Oficina Regional para Mesoamérica y el Centro de Derecho Ambiental de UICN. La publicación aporta insumos para la discusión relativa a la evaluación de impactos ambientales transfronterizos en Centroamérica, una región que, además de su historia, comparte ecosistemas, cuencas hidrográficas y áreas protegidas. En virtud de su misma geografía (no solo en las áreas de frontera) el desarrollo de obras, proyectos o actividades en un país puede afectar al vecino, lo que hace impostergable contar con un instrumento que evalúe los posibles impactos ambientales transfronterizos que pueden generar dichas obras. El libro describe la realidad centroamericana y presenta lineamientos generales sobre EIA en zonas fronterizas, analiza el contexto internacional y regional que enmarca esta temática y los elementos básicos que debería contemplar un acuerdo sobre EIA transfronteriza para Centroamérica. La publicación fue elaborada por Alejandro Iza, director del Centro de Derecho Ambiental, Grethel Aguilar, directora regional de UICN Mesoamérica y Marianela Cedeño, especialista destacada en Centroamérica.
English version
EPLP 62

Protection of the Mediterranean-Black Sea Ecosystem
6 June 2007
The Chair of CEL gave a presentation at the international conference “The Protection and Sustainable Development of the Mediterranean-Black Sea Ecosystem" on May 24-26 2007, organised by ICEF (International Court of the Environment Foundation), by invitation of its Director, CEL Honorary Member Prof. Amedeo Postiglione. The conference took place in Venice, at the Scuola Grande di S. Giovanni Evangelista - a magnificent venue! - with the scientific support of UNEP/MAP; Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution; EU Forum of Judges for the Environment, Arab Forum of Judges for the Environment and IUCN. The following people and institutions granted their patronage for the conference’s organization: Stavros Dimas (member of the European Commission); Italian National Commission for UNESCO; Italian National Research Council; Italian Ministry of the Environment and Italian Ministry of University and Scientific Research. This forum was organized under an initiative involving 25 countries around the Mediterranean-Black Sea basin and is aimed at reviewing the current state of progress in the implementation of existing environmental law for the protection of the sea and coast (domestic law of the States, community law and international law) and at building a dynamic network of knowledge, by exchanging and sharing experiences and best practices.
Please take advantage of our CEL List to share your activities and accomplishments with all members.

Michel Prieur à l'honneur
1 juin 2007
Michel Prieur, Président adjoint de la Commission du droit de l’environnement de l’UICN, vient de recevoir la croix de Commandeur de l’ordre des palmes académiques, et celle de Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, à une cérémonie émouvante en son honneur, tenue à la Faculté de Droit et de Sciences Economiques de l’Université de Limoges, le 25 mai dernier. Le Professeur Michel Prieur a joué un rôle déterminant dans le développement du droit de l’environnement tant au plan francais qu’international. Ses mérites seront aussi consacré par la publication imminente de Mélanges en son honneur aux Editions Dalloz, un hommage de quatre vingt dix auteurs à son action exceptionnelle. La Commission du droit de l’environnement lui addresse respect, et amitié, et le remercie de son action dans le cadre de l’UICN.

Droit de l’environnement en Afrique centrale et de l'ouest
1 juin 2007
Les aspects contemporains du droit de l’environnement en Afrique centrale et de l’ouest sont l’objet d’un projet conjoint du Centre du droit de l’environnement de l’UICN et du PNUE. Douze auteurs ont offert des contributions pour cette publication, qui ont été le sujet d’une réunion de son Comité de lecture qui s’est tenue à Limoges les 24 et 25 mai. Les articles couvrent des sujets qui vont du développement du droit de l’environnement dans la région à sa bonne application, en passant par l’encadrement juridique des mesures mondiales, régionales et sous-régionales. La publication sortira avant la fin de cette année, et un second volume est en discussion.

Moving the CEL agenda ahead
25 May 2007
The IUCN-Commission on Environmental Law Steering Committee had its annual meeting in the Parque Estadual Intervales in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In an inspiring setting, the Steering Committee met for three days to discuss the implementation and give new directions to the CEL programme. Within the context of important achievements (revision of the Precautionary Principle Guidelines, participation in the IUCN Lebanon Task Force, further development of the Code on Ethics in Biodiversity) and the presence for the first time of CEL Vice-chair Professor Rafael Gonzalez Ballar from Costa Rica, the SC discussed the current status of the CEL Specialists Groups and the upcoming meeting of them in Istanbul in late June; the CEL incentives package (including the E-Helpdesk, the CEL Award, and the CEL on-line papers), the ELP new intersessional plan, and the next IUCN World Conservation Congress, to be held in Barcelona in 2008. The CEL Steering Committee members planted a tree as a tribute to Professor Alexander Kiss, a long standing member of CEL.
To see the revised Precautionary Principle Guidelines click here.

Parliamentarians and Implementation of Environmental Law
23 May 2007
Within the framework of the UNEP Programme for Environmental Citizenship, members of the Parlatino's (Latin American Parliament) Environmental Commission met in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to discuss the feasibility of establishing a regional environmental court in Latin America to resolve cases of non compliance with environmental legislation. The IUCN Environmental Law Programme was represented by Dr. Alejandro Iza, Director of the IUCN Environmental Law Centre who referred to the challenges of compliance and enforcement of Environmental Law in Latin America. IUCN is a strategic partner of UNEP in providing technical assistance to the Parlatino in its endeavours for equitable and sustainable development of it country members. At the end of the meeting, the Parliamentarians adopted the Declaration of Buenos Aires.

For the full story click here
To see the Declaration of Buenos Aires click here

Innovative solution for shared waters
4 May 2007
During the 7th Water and Nature (WANI) Coordination team meeting in Burkina Faso, the WANI team focused on the project for improving water governance in the Volta Basin (known as PAGEV by its French acronym), implemented by IUCN and the Directorate of Water Resources (DGRE) of Burkina Faso and the Water Resources Commission (WRC) of Ghana. The Volta basin lacks a basin wide coordination mechanism and a legal framework for the management of the basin resources. However, the six basin Countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali, and Togo) have recently signed a Convention on the Status of the Volta River and the Establishment of the Volta Basin Authoritiy/VBA (19 January 2007), which is in process of ratification. While the ratification process is progressing, and the VBA is in a formative phase, there is a wide range of governance operational issues that have been started by PAGEV. This intervention will serve not only to add value to the supranational institutional framework but to build a process in which all the stakeholders, from the communities up to the national ministries are involved. PAGEV’s approach is characterized by its mobilization of partnerships with stakeholders including ministries, local government, NGOs and the civil society; the implementation of joint activities between institutions in both countries where the project operates (Ghana and Burkina Faso); the establishment of a transborder committee at the community level in which communities will be working together on integrated management issues, and the adoption of a Code of Conduct for the sustainable and equitable management of shared water resources of the Volta Basin, which aims at stimulating basin-wide joint management of the resources. The IUCN Environmental Law Programme is a partner of the IUCN Water and Nature Initiative and coordinates its governance component worldwide.
For more information about the Water and Nature Inititiave click here.

Supporting the development of a new Nature Reserve Law in China
30 April 2007
A new Nature Reserve Law is currently under development by the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee (EPRCC) of the National People’s Congress in China. A consultative draft law has already been completed, and EPRCC has organized a series of meetings with relevant government agencies in order to revise the draft law. By October 2007, the final draft law will be completed and distributed to the members of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for review. After participating in an International Symposium on China’s Protected Areas Law held in Beijing last year, the IUCN Environmental Law Centre (ELC) hosted a Chinese delegation between 22 – 28 April in order to further support the drafting process. During a kick-off workshop as well as several meetings and fieldtrips, a fruitful information exchange was facilitated between members of the Legislative Department of EPRCC and the Economic Law Department of the Legislative Affairs Commission, ELC staff members and German protected areas experts.
For more information click here.

Congreso Académico sobre Derecho del Agua
19 abril 2007
El Programa de Derecho Ambiental de la UICN y la Oficina Regional para Mesoamérica (ORMA) participaron activamente en el Congreso Académico sobre Derecho del Agua. Este evento fue organizado por la Asociación Costarricense de Derecho Ambiental (ACDA) en San José y contó con el auspicio de UICN y otras varias organizaciones. La Dra. Grethel Aguilar, Directora de la UICN-ORMA se refirió al derecho al agua dentro de un enfoque por ecosistemas y el Dr. Alejandro Iza, Director del Centro de Derecho Ambiental expuso sobre los aspectos jurídicos de las aguas transfronterizas. Entre otros temas tratados en el Congreso figuran la aplicación de la Directiva Marco del Agua, un análisis del proceso de ley de aguas en Paraguay, una mesa redonda sobre cánones de vertidos y un taller sobre manejo de conflictos.
Para mayor información sobre este evento haga un click aquí.

The death of Professor Alexandre Kiss
26 March 2007
The Commission on Environmental Law expresses its deep consternation on the death of Professor Alexandre Kiss. Of French and Hungarian nationality, Prof. Kiss was born in Budapest and lived in France since 1947. He was one of the pioneers in research on international environmental law. His numerous books and articles in several languages not only have been a source of inspiration for two generations of environmental lawyers, but also have had an undeniable impact on the development of international environmental law. He has been frequently consulted by governments, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs. He was Honorary member of IUCN CEL, President of the European Council of Environmental Law, Director of Research Emeritus at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, Professor at the Robert Schuman University of Strasbourg, and lecturer at numerous universities throughout the world. The publications of Professor Kiss include books on general international law, human rights law and international environmental law. He has written more than 400 articles on various international law topics, published in twelve languages. Among his distinctions, Professor Kiss holds the Cross of Officer of the Légion d'Honneur (France), the Austrian Distinguished Merit Cross, and he was elected Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He has also been awarded an honorary degree by the University of Leuven.
He will be greatly missed and always remembered.
Sheila Abed
Chair of CEL
Annonce de la mort d’Alexandre Kiss

Gobernanza de aguas compartidas
5 marzo 2007
El Centro de Derecho Ambiental y la Oficina Regional de UICN para Mesoamérica presentan el libro Gobernanza de aguas compartidas: aspectos jurídicos e institucionales, el cual es un esfuerzo conjunto que recoge los aportes del diálogo sobre gobernanza de cuencas compartidas celebrado en Ciudad de Guatemala en septiembre de 2004 y organizado por la Unidad de gestión del agua de la UICN-Mesoamérica La publicación, parte de la Serie de Política y Derecho Ambiental, fue elaborada por Grethel Aguilar, Directora Regional de UICN-Mesoamérica y Alejandro Iza, Director del Centro de Derecho Ambiental. Este libro toma como punto de partida al derecho internacional y explica cómo dicho cuerpo legal, con sus principios y tratados, puede servir de vehículo para una buena gestión de las cuencas hidrográficas compartidas y la promoción de una buena gobernanza de las mismas. El objetivo de esta publicación es realizar un aporte al fortalecimiento de las capacidades de los tomadores de decisión en la materia, promover la cooperación entre los Estados que comparten cuerpos de agua y contribuir para que la integración regional se haga realidad; para ello parte de la idea de que la frontera debe ser entendida como un espacio para ensayar y forjar la cooperación y en la cual el agua desempeña un rol fundamental. El libro trata de ofrecer a todos los interesados en la temática de los recursos hídricos los elementos más importantes de su manejo y conservación en el contexto internacional, con especial énfasis en Centroamérica.
English version
EPLP 58

Moving forward the academic agenda at the global level
13 February 2007
A need for further developing the academic teaching agenda on Environmental Law was the basis of a meeting in Bonn between the Co-Director of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law and the IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP). The ELP was represented by the CEL Chair and the Director of the ELC. The IUCN Academy is an autonomous network of university based environmental law centres with the role of developing curricula for teaching environmental law worldwide. The Academy has a secretariat in Canada at the University of Ottawa, which works in collaboration with the ELP. The ELP and the Academy elaborated the structure of the Academy teaching and research programme, discussed membership issues, and considered the Academy’s niche in the achievement of the IUCN mission. The Academy is planning a meeting in April 2007 to develop the research agenda, and having its annual colloquium in Rio de Janeiro in June 2007.
For further information on the IUCN Academy click here.

Progressing marine governance issues
8 February 2007
This week the ELC hosted the Co-Chairs of the Oceans, Coastals and Coral Reefs Specialist Group (David Vander Zwaag and Nilufer Oral), the Co-Chairs of the High Seas Subgroup (Kristina Gjerde and Rosemary Rayfuse) and Francois Simbard of the Mediterranean Office. It provided a very useful opportunity to discuss a wide range of marine governance issues and areas of collaboration. Topics included options for high seas governance; development of projects in the Mediterranean; possible directions for marine issues in the upcoming 4 year plan for the Environmental Law Programme; and brainstorming regarding options for highlighting marine issues at the 2008 IUCN World Conservation Congress. The meeting was very productive and we all look forward to some exciting work in 2007-08 relating to marine issues between the ELC, CEL and the Global Marine Programme.

IUCN CEL Vice Chair to take senior position with UNEP
1 February 2007
IUCN CEL Vice Chair John Scanlon has been appointed to the post of Special Advisor on Policy and Operational Matters within the UNEP Executive Office. Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, announced Scanlon’s appointment on 19 January as part of a strengthened management team with the filling of several key posts at the top of the Nairobi-headquartered organization. Scanlon will leave his various positions in Australia, including serving as Australia’s first independent commissioner on the Murray Darling Basin Commission and as Chair of the Board of the Environment Protection Authority in New South Wales, to take up his new position in February. UNEP Executive Director Steiner said: “The management skills, experience, knowledge and intellectual rigor of each one of the new appointments will bring enhanced capacity, vision and action to UNEP in order to fulfill its mandate and meet the big challenges facing the environment and sustainable development in the early 21st century.”

UNEP Media Release

Media Release of Hon. K. Maywald MP, Minister for the River Murray

More News >

2006 / 01-12 /
2005 / 01 - 12 /
2004 / 01 / 02 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12
2003 / 01 / 02 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12
2002 / 01 - 03 / 04 - 06 / 07 - 09 / 10 - 12

Back to top