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Areas Of Practice

Environment

The Environment Program promotes conscientious stewardship of natural resources and the human rights obligations underpinning a sustainable environment and climate change adaptation and mitigation. The Program collaborates with local, regional and international environmental NGOs, providing them with legal representation on projects that concern pressing environmental issues around the world. Areas of focus for the Program include human rights and the environment, climate change, protection of environmental defenders, international humanitarian law and environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, toxic pollution, and water source and river protection. The Program works to promote the rights of indigenous peoples and other communities through projects that seek to build legal capacity and knowledge about international norms and standards that govern their rights.

The Program also supports special rapporteurs of the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. International Law Commission in furtherance of their mandates in areas such as human rights and the environment, children’s environmental rights, and environmental protection during armed conflict. The Program provides legal assistance to international organizations that promote global environmental rights, conducting multijurisdictional research and analysis of complex legal issues to ensure protection of the fundamental principles of environmental law.

See What’s New

Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente (AIDA)
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Legal Response Initiative (LRI)
Global Witness
International Rivers
NextGen Climate America
World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) at the International Union for Conservation of Nature National Committee (IUCN)
Pure Earth
Dr. Marie Jacobsson, United Nations International Law Commission, Special Rapporteur for the Protection of the Environment in relation to Armed Conflict
Prof. John Knox, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment
Asociación Bufete Jurídico de Derechos Humanos (BDH)
Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN)
Huaorani Bameno community

New Projects

Promoting River Protection in Myanmar

The Vance Center assisted International Rivers, an organization that seeks to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them, in its mission to promote river protection in Myanmar....

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Promoting River Protection in Myanmar

The Vance Center assisted International Rivers, an organization that seeks to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them, in its mission to promote river protection in Myanmar. Approximately five to seven large dam and hydropower plant projects are proposed for the Thanlwin River, all of which would have significant environmental and cultural impacts. Based on a comprehensive review of the existing legal framework that governs river protection and its application to river conservation efforts in Myanmar, Vance Center law firm Shearman & Sterling prepared a report assessing how these laws are implemented and identifying how key institutions consider river protection in connection with large dam and hydropower projects. The report also offered recommendations on how the legal framework could be improved based on international law and best practices. International Rivers is using the recommendations in the report as part of its strategy to promote the free-flowing nature of the Thanlwin River and river protection in Myanmar.

Securing the Human Right to a Healthy Environment

The Vance Center is assisting Prof. David Boyd, the new United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, in compiling a database of national legislation in 193 UN Member States that recognizes the right to a healthy environment. ...

Close

Securing the Human Right to a Healthy Environment

The Vance Center is assisting Prof. David Boyd, the new United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, in compiling a database of national legislation in 193 UN Member States that recognizes the right to a healthy environment. The recognition of a human right to a healthy environment has important implications in both domestic and international law. It allows use of human rights mechanisms in defense of the environment, opening up new legal frameworks for the protection of the environment at the local, national and international levels. Prof. Boyd will use this research in connection with his reports to the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.

Analyzing Regional Instruments Related to the Environmental Principles in the Proposed Global Pact for the Environment

The Vance Center is assisting the World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) at the International Union for Conservation of Nature National Committee (IUCN) in connection with its efforts to support the Global Pact for the Environment (Global Pact), a newly proposed global agreement ...

Close

Analyzing Regional Instruments Related to the Environmental Principles in the Proposed Global Pact for the Environment

The Vance Center is assisting the World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) at the International Union for Conservation of Nature National Committee (IUCN) in connection with its efforts to support the Global Pact for the Environment (Global Pact), a newly proposed global agreement on fundamental principles of environmental law. The Vance Center is conducting a review of the regional environmental instruments adopted by the Arab League States, African Union States, Arab League States, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) States, South Pacific States, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) States to determine whether the principles included in the proposed Global Pact are also embodied in these various regional instruments. This project will provide the Vance Center and IUCN with critical legal research to be used in connection with further negotiations in support of the proposed Global Pact at the United Nations and elsewhere.

New Projects

Promoting River Protection in Myanmar

The Vance Center assisted International Rivers, an organization that seeks to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them, in its mission to promote river protection in Myanmar....

Close

Promoting River Protection in Myanmar

The Vance Center assisted International Rivers, an organization that seeks to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them, in its mission to promote river protection in Myanmar. Approximately five to seven large dam and hydropower plant projects are proposed for the Thanlwin River, all of which would have significant environmental and cultural impacts. Based on a comprehensive review of the existing legal framework that governs river protection and its application to river conservation efforts in Myanmar, Vance Center law firm Shearman & Sterling prepared a report assessing how these laws are implemented and identifying how key institutions consider river protection in connection with large dam and hydropower projects. The report also offered recommendations on how the legal framework could be improved based on international law and best practices. International Rivers is using the recommendations in the report as part of its strategy to promote the free-flowing nature of the Thanlwin River and river protection in Myanmar.

Securing the Human Right to a Healthy Environment

The Vance Center is assisting Prof. David Boyd, the new United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, in compiling a database of national legislation in 193 UN Member States that recognizes the right to a healthy environment. ...

Close

Securing the Human Right to a Healthy Environment

The Vance Center is assisting Prof. David Boyd, the new United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, in compiling a database of national legislation in 193 UN Member States that recognizes the right to a healthy environment. The recognition of a human right to a healthy environment has important implications in both domestic and international law. It allows use of human rights mechanisms in defense of the environment, opening up new legal frameworks for the protection of the environment at the local, national and international levels. Prof. Boyd will use this research in connection with his reports to the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.

Analyzing Regional Instruments Related to the Environmental Principles in the Proposed Global Pact for the Environment

The Vance Center is assisting the World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) at the International Union for Conservation of Nature National Committee (IUCN) in connection with its efforts to support the Global Pact for the Environment (Global Pact), a newly proposed global agreement ...

Close

Analyzing Regional Instruments Related to the Environmental Principles in the Proposed Global Pact for the Environment

The Vance Center is assisting the World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) at the International Union for Conservation of Nature National Committee (IUCN) in connection with its efforts to support the Global Pact for the Environment (Global Pact), a newly proposed global agreement on fundamental principles of environmental law. The Vance Center is conducting a review of the regional environmental instruments adopted by the Arab League States, African Union States, Arab League States, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) States, South Pacific States, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) States to determine whether the principles included in the proposed Global Pact are also embodied in these various regional instruments. This project will provide the Vance Center and IUCN with critical legal research to be used in connection with further negotiations in support of the proposed Global Pact at the United Nations and elsewhere.

The contribution of the Cyrus R. Vance Center and its lawyers has been of crucial importance for my work as the United Nations International Law Commission’s Special Rapporteur on the topic ‘Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts’. By assisting me in identifying case law relevant to my second and third report, the Center has enabled considerable progress to be made on this topic. The contributions were excellent in every respect and it is a privilege to have received this assistance. In addition, it has been inspiring to work with such an engaged group of excellent lawyers in the cause of global justice.

Dr. Marie Jacobsson, United Nations International Law Commission, Special Rapporteur for the Protection of the Environment in relation to Armed Conflict

The Vance Center has become a great partner in our Water Security strategy in Latin America and the Caribbean. They have helped us to develop strong relationships with local counsel in regions where they are pioneers promoting a culture of pro bono legal services. The Vance Center team assumes real ownership in all projects as a member in our conservation efforts, but also promotes methods to share legal knowledge and information with other nonprofits and individuals in order to achieve greater impacts in the region.

Froylan Hernandez-Ruiz, Senior Attorney, Latin America Region, The Nature Conservancy

The support of the Vance Center came at a critical time for the Prey Lang Community Network struggling to protect their ancestral lands from illegal logging. The community now can be appropriately involved in conservation and management efforts and receive on-call legal assistance to protect their members in case of persecution and incrimination.

Ida Theilade, Senior Researcher, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

For the last five years, the Vance Center has provided invaluable assistance to my work as the first UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment.  Most recently, the Center’s research was an integral part of my report to the UN Human Rights Council on children’s rights and the environment.

Professor John Knox, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment