Strengthening Access to Justice through Clinical Legal Education in Environmental Matters (UNEP)
Session Time and Date
13 November, 9.00-10.30am
Conference Room 2
Concept Summary
The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution threatens the sustainability of our planet and impacts groups in vulnerable situations disproportionately, resulting in environment injustice. There is a need to find innovative and immediate solutions to advance environmental justice. Environmental justice entails equal realization of substantive and procedural environmental rights such as the right to water, food, clean air, a healthy ecosystem, a safe climate and access to participation in environmental decision-making, information and access to justice, among other things. Environmental Legal Clinics (ELCs) have a critical role in advancing environmental justice. Clinical legal education is a vital enabler for the realisation of human rights and access to justice. Clinics provide justice education to young lawyers and enhance access to justice for marginalized groups. They are a critical to provide links for communities to information on legal developments and potential remedies for environmental harm. Such clinics can provide high-quality legal services to people and communities impacted by environmental degradation, in need of information on environmental decision-making processes, and at risk of environmental rights violations. They can also support the progressive development of environmental rule of law at the national and regional levels.
There are a growing number of ELCs in Asia Pacific however there is limited exchange and collaboration between these clinics. There is great potential to increase the impact of ELCs through networking and south-south collaboration and exchange. Similar such networks exist in Latin America, for example, the Environmental Legal Clinics Alliance is composed of universities from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Peru. This session will explore the role of ELCs to advance people centered justice and environmental justice and the potential for collaboration and exchange amongst ELCs across the region.
Objectives
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To explore the potential scope of environmental law clinics in the region in advancing rule of law and access to justice.
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To understand how ELCs address barriers to access justice
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To explore the potential for regional collaboration and networking amongst ELCs
Questions
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What role can ELCs have in supporting the realisation of procedural environmental rights?
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What is the scope of ELCs in the region including through legal representation, information, law reform etc?
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How many ELCs are operating in Asia Pacific?
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What institutional or other support would be needed to establish a community of practice or alliance between ELCs in the region?
Format/Methodology
Presentation (10 minutes):
Introduction and presentation of ELCs.
Panel Discussion (50 minutes):
A moderated discussion with 4-5 expert panelists, including public interest lawyers and academics.
Q&A/ Group Discussion (30 minutes):
An interactive Q&A segment and Group Discussion session.
Speakers
Maria-Goreti Muavesi
Steering Committee Member
World Commission on Environmental Law
Maria-Goreti Muavesi is an accomplished environmental lawyer with two decades of expertise in environmental law and policy. She served as the Head Environmental Legal Officer of IUCN’s Oceania Regional Office and reached the office of the Regional Director in an acting capacity. She has led strategic operations to advance the environmental rule of law, particularly in the Pacific region. Her work encompasses collaborating with diverse stakeholders to promote the implementation of environmental laws, while supporting the development of legal frameworks at national and regional levels to support conservation actions and environmental protection.
In addition to her professional role, Maria-Goreti is dedicated to community service, particularly as one of the founding members of the Veinanumi Project, which empowers women and girls in Fiji by providing safe menstrual hygiene management tools and education. She is also actively involved with the National Catholic Women's League of Fiji, serving as International Secretary, a member of the St Vincent de Paul and St Angela Catholic Women’s League and co-chair of the St Angela Sector Caritas Commission.
Maria-Goreti is an accredited mediator through both the Singapore Mediation Centre and the Fiji Mediation Centre. Her passion for advocacy has led her to present on significant platforms, including discussions on the national implementation of the BBNJ Agreement and deep seabed mining negotiations.
Sanjeevi Shanthakumar
Director
Gujarat National Law University
Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar is the Vice Chancellor of Gujarat National Law University, with 32 years of teaching experience. An alumnus of Madras University and former attorney at the Madras High Court, he specializes in Environmental, Human Rights, International, and Constitutional Law. He has authored five books, published extensively, and delivered keynote addresses globally.
He has held leadership roles, including Vice Chair of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, and currently chairs the Environmental Law Study Group of the International Association of Law Schools. His work includes executing projects funded by the World Bank and the British Council and participating in the Erasmus Plus Tuning India Project, focusing on legal education and capacity building.
Kristine Joy Argallon
Legal and Policy Officer
Philippine Earth Justice Center
Joy is a Natural Resources and Environmental Law professor at the University of Cebu School of Law in the Philippines and supervises the Green Legal Clinic (GLC), guiding students on policy advice for Cebu’s local government. The GLC provides training for communities on issues like waste management and coastal enforcement, aiming to make the law accessible to the public.
A 2019 Fellow of the Environmental Defense Program, Joy is also a Legal and Policy Officer at the Philippine Earth Justice Center, working on environmental law enforcement, litigation support, and policy advocacy. She leads the program on Mainstreaming Environmental Justice through Green Legal Clinics, supporting law schools in the Philippines in developing environmental law clinics.
Songkrant Pongboonjun
Lecturer
Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Law
Songkrant Pongboonjun is a lecturer at Chiang Mai University, Thailand, specializing in law and social movements. His research explores the role of law in environmental rights movements in Thailand, particularly post-1997 Constitution. In June 2024, he helped establish Chiang Mai University's first environmental legal clinic, aimed at serving as a social lab for legal education and a public interest office for communities. Songkrant holds a Ph.D. from the University of Victoria, Canada, and previously worked for a decade as an environmental lawyer. His transition from practice to academia reflects his commitment to bridging the gap between law in theory and law in practice for effective environmental advocacy.
Jonathan Liljeblad
Associate Professor
Australian National University College of Law
Jonathan Liljeblad is Associate Professor at the Australian National University College of Law. He holds a PhD and JD from the University of Southern California, an MS from the University of Washington, and a BS from the California Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the complexities of promoting international norms in developing countries, and centers on cases involving human rights, Indigenous rights, and environment. His field work is primarily in Southeast Asia, where he has assisted international aid programs such as Asia Development Bank, International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, Danish Institute of Human Rights, International Commission of Jurists, and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. He is a member of the Pa'Oh Indigenous peoples of Shan State, Myanmar, and grew up on Sweden and the United States.
Rosa Liza Eisma Osoria
Senior Director for Campaigns
University of Cebu School of Law
Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio is the Senior Director for Campaigns, Legal and Policy of Oceana in the Philippines working on strategic, directed campaigns in the Philippines to ensure protection of oceans through science-based fisheries management and policy reforms. She is also a law professor at the University of Cebu School of Law where she teaches environmental law and related subjects. In 2019, She was elected as the Chairperson of the International Union for Conservation of Nature – Academy of Environmental Law (IUCNAEL) – the first Asian to lead the academy, and served for four years until 2023. She finished her Bachelor of Science major in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines – Diliman, Juris Doctor at the Silliman University, and Master of Laws (LLM) with Benemeritus and Best Thesis award at the San Sebastian College Recoletos Graduate School of Law.
Georgina Lloyd
(Moderator)
Regional Coordinator, UNEP
Dr. Georgina Lloyd Rivera is the Regional Coordinator (Asia and the Pacific) of Environmental Law and Governance for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Georgina’s works covers the areas of environmental rights, environmental crime, technical assistance in environmental law and capacity building at the national and regional level. Georgina has been involved in capacity building for environmental law within Southeast Asia and has provided advice to government and non-government stakeholders on environmental law and policy issues.
Georgina holds a PhD in Law, Master in Environmental Law and Bachelor in Environmental Science (Hons 1) from the University of Sydney.