On August 30, the William S. Richardson School of Law had the pleasure of presenting Ben Boer, Deputy Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL), as its featured speaker.

Professor Boer’s lecture was the first in a series of “IUCN at UH Law” events, aiming to bring the magic of the 2016 IUCN Congress to the Law School. The theme of this initial presentation centered around the 2016 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Environmental Rule of Law.

Evening/Part-Time Program Director Liam Skilling, WCEL Deputy Chair Ben Boer, ELP Director David Forman, Assoc. Dean Denise Antolini & Justice Michael Wilson / Photo Credit: Henry Curtis

Professor Boer proposed integrating the SDGs into a legal framework that will enhance environmental protection and achieve environmental enforcement on a global scale. He introduced the World Declaration on Environmental Rule of Law proposed at the first World Environmental Law Congress in Rio de Janeiro at the end of April. Professor Boer then explained the importance of this declaration as “extending the procedural and substantive principles and protections enshrined in the rule of law, to environmental policy.”

Professor Boer proceeded to discuss the recent expansion of Environmental Courts globally, particularly the rapid increase in environmental courts in China. He strongly encouraged young lawyers and professionals to assume the responsibility of leading environmental conservation efforts now and for the future.

ELP students offered the following reactions to Professor Boer’s presentation:

The “Environmental Rule of Law” is a fascinating principle, the simplicity of which is possibly one of its greatest challenges. I liked the idea that environmental policy should be advanced by the application of laws rather than at the pleasure of political decision-makers . . . . I am also eager to learn more about the WCEL and their work to nurture a diverse new generation of environmental lawyers.
-Mahesh Cleveland

As a Richardson Law student in the Environmental Law Program, it was an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to hear from such a distinguished scholar in environmental law. Professor Boer brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his work and his global perspective challenges us to think beyond Hawaii and the United States to understand the power of environmental law to make a real change on our planet.
–Emily Gaskin

Ben Boer has taught and researched in the area of environmental law since 1979. He was appointed to a Chair in Environmental Law at the University of Sydney in 1992. Between 2006 and 2008, he was the international Co-Director of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Academy of Environmental Law and Visiting Professor, based at the University of Ottawa. He was named as Emeritus Professor in 2008 in the University of Sydney. He was appointed as a Distinguished Professor at the Research Institute of Environmental Law, Wuhan University, People’s Republic of China in 2011, and now works in Wuhan for around three months a year. He was one of the founders of the Australian Centre for Environmental Law, co-established with colleagues at the University of Adelaide, the Australian National University and the University of Sydney (at the University of Sydney it is now called the Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law).

Mahalo to Professor Boer for taking the time to visit our law school community to share his insight, and for whetting our appetites for the upcoming 2016 IUCN Congress!