The William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been admitted to the prestigious International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Academy of Environmental Law. It represents 180 law faculties and research centers in over 50 nations.
Working to build environmental law education capacity on a worldwide scale, the academy has an outstanding record of fostering research, collaboration and learning in environmental law in all regions of the globe. Its membership further opens the door to Richardson law students seeking to take advantage of their enormous potential for involvement in global environmental issues.
Said Richardson Environmental Law Program (ELP) Director David Forman, “ELP looks forward to applying the considerable skills and energy of its faculty, lecturers and students in the interest of global conservation initiatives, while further tapping the expertise of Richardson’s Pacific Asian Legal Studies program and ASEAN Law Integration Center.”
Associate Professor Shalanda H. Baker, ELP faculty advisor and founder of the law school’s new energy law program, called the law school’s inclusion in the academy a major honor for the school.
Honolulu next IUCN environmental conference location
IUCN is headquartered at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. The academy has held international environmental conferences in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Australia to explore issues ranging from climate change, biofuels, water and the development of policy for protected areas.
The next World Conservation Congress—scheduled for September 2016—will be held at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu. This will be the first time in the academy’s more than 60 year history that the U.S. has hosted this international gathering.
“This is an unprecedented time to consider issues at the intersection of climate change and energy law and policy, which are of increasing relevance to global conservation efforts,” said Baker. “Hosting the IUCN congress in Honolulu provides the state a unique opportunity to showcase our efforts to tackle all three concerns. At the law school we are simply delighted to bring our expertise to bear in this important conversation.”
For the full story, read the Richardson School of Law news release.
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—By Beverly Creamer
