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Co-Chair
Wilhelm Bergthaler

Co-Chair
Roberta
Danelon Leonhardt

Environment, Health and Safety Law Committee

The Committee addresses, among others, issues as diverse as sustainable development, biodiversity, air, water, groundwater and waste regulation, climate change, safety in the workplace, protection of endangered species, food safety, environment and trade.

View officer list Join this committee

Past webinar recordings - environment-related

Below is a list of webinars either presented by the Committee or of thematic relevance. Where webinar recordings have a password, IBA members can obtain this by emailing webinars@int-bar.org

 

Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law

Published quarterly, the Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law (JERL) is the journal of the SEERIL. Featuring contributions written by some of the finest academic minds and most successful practitioners in this area of study, JERL is a highly respected journal committed to reflecting contemporary issues that face the energy and natural resources sectors.

Access the latest issue of JERL
Biodiversity: the Nagoya Protocol and its impacts in Brazil

The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement that promotes the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources and sharing benefits. It strengthens the contribution of biodiversity to environmental development. In August 2020, Brazil ratified the Protocol: it now has the right to vote and will be able to influence the significant decisions that are still to be made in the implementation procedure of this agreement, promoting a fair and equitable share of the benefits brought by the use of geneti

The negative environmental effects of plastic shopping bags

The humble plastic bag is a common commodity often used for shopping, but is also an important item in the global litter network. A policy of education should be undertaken to teach the general public about the detrimental effect on the ecosystem of careless use of plastic bags. intensifying the drive by highlighting the danger plastic bags pose to affect our climate, safety, marine life and tourism

The gaps in final disposal of cannabis-based products in Brazilian legislation

The use of cannabis-based products for medicinal purposes was authorised in Brazil by the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) in 2019, but with a series of safeguards and precautions. There is also a provision that such products should be subjected to proper environmental final disposal, but the legislation in force has several gaps within this subject. This article aims to explore the inconsistences and alternatives for the legal treatment of the waste originated from the usage of these cannabis-

Tackling open defecation in Nigeria

Tackling open defecation in Nigeria

Projects and reports

Covid-19 relief measures: environment, health and safety law perspective - May 2020

The IBA Environment, Health and Safety Law Committee Officers have prepared this chart to help members navigate the most relevant pieces of legislation recently enacted by several jurisdictions to cope with the effect of Covid-19 on environment, health and safety law. We look forward to receiving your comments and hope this chart will be useful for your daily activities.

Download the report

IBA/UNEP Project on Continuing Legal Education in Environmental Law - 2019

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the IBA are pleased to share this Framework Model Curriculum on Continuing Legal Education In Environmental Law so that lawyers are able to effectively enforce environmental law, nationally and regionally, and are equipped to support the implementation of environmental rule of law.

The UNEP approached the IBA in order to develop a project that would make a meaningful contribution to the improvement of the advisory and litigation skills of environmental law practitioners across the world. UNEP has extended experience in developing such programmes for judges, prosecutors and the public administration, but so far has not ventured into the training of practising lawyers. And yet the perception is that this is key to improving the protection of the environment across the world. This is of course an area in which we are very well positioned to assist.

Download the Framework Model Curriculum

Achieving Justice and Human Rights in an Era of Climate Disruption - 2014

Global climate change is a defining challenge of our time. Dramatic alterations to the planet’s climate system are already affecting the world’s inhabitants and its natural environment.

This wide-ranging and comprehensive report from the IBA Presidential Task Force on Climate Change Justice and Human Rights - co-led by then-Committee Co-Chair David Estrin - identifies problems and gaps in existing legal, human rights, trade and other institutional arrangements.

It contains a series of new ideas and recommendations to governments and world institutions, such as the World Trade Organization, human rights bodies, international development financing agencies, as well as specific law and corporate governance reforms to aid in the prevention and mitigation of climate change impacts and protect the human rights of vulnerable communities.

Download the report

Subcommittees and other groups

The Environment, Health and Safety Law Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.

  • Presidential Task Force on Climate Change Justice and Human Rights