About the Specialist Group

The purpose of the IUCN WCEL Early-Career Specialist Group (ECSG) is to foster relationships among early-career environmental law professionals and encourage their participation in the activities and mission of the Commission, in line with the 2021-2024 mandate of the World Commission on Environmental Law and the 2021–2024 IUCN Programme.

The ECSG is focused on achieving three overarching goals:

• Provide next-generation, cutting-edge perspectives in environmental law to the World Commission on Environmental Law and the broader IUCN Programme.
• Provide a cross-cutting platform for the next generation of lawyers, policymakers, decision-makers, and scholars to exchange information and ideas on emerging and interdisciplinary topics in environmental law and meaningfully engage in environmental law research and practice.
• Promote innovative environmental law solutions to tackle the socio-ecological crisis, fostering intergenerational partnerships.

Our members

'Early-career' can be defined as "35 years or younger or within five years of completing a postgraduate degree in law or ten years or less since completing an undergraduate degree in law." Nonetheless, all World Commission on Environmental Law and broader IUCN community members are welcome to engage in and contribute to the ECSG's activities.

ECSG members include leading early-career professionals working across all environmental law fields, from biodiversity to climate change law. The ECSG seeks to leverage its members' expertise by developing projects focused on emerging environmental law topics

Workstreams

The ECSG activities for 2022-2024 are developed under four core projects, namely:

1. Next-generation environmental law research
   Project co-leads: Ms. Elisa Fiorini Beckhauser (elisafbeckhauser@hotmail.com) and Ms. Valeriana Augusta Broetto (valerianabrtt@gmail.com)
2. World Commission on Environmental Law Mentorship Programme
   Project lead: Ms. Larissa Jane Houston (ljhhouston@gmail.com)
3. Networks and partnerships for the future of environmental law
   Project co-leads: Mr. Adrián Martínez Blanco (adrian.martinezblanco@gmail.com) and Mr. Patrick Toussaint (pcktou@gmail.com)
4. Science-policy Interfaces in the context of environmental rule of law
   Project lead: Ms. Paula Silveira Galbiatti (paulagalbiatti@hotmail.com)

Are you interested in contributing to our activities?

We invite you to create a new account in the IUCN Commissions Membership portal, log in, and apply to become a member of the World Commission on Environmental Law. Please indicate in your application form that you would like to join the “WCEL Early Career Network,” even if you received your law degree more than five years ago. Similarly, please indicate your interest in joining the group in the “brief outline” section. Click here for a general video on how to apply. We are eager to welcome you to the ECSG!

Check out our "get involved” page to learn about WCEL membership. Please do not hesitate to write to us should you have any questions!