Program on International & Comparative Environmental Law
The Program on International & Comparative Environmental Law (PICEL) promotes environmental law as a response to the serious threats currently facing the global environment. The Program integrates WCL students with lawyers and practitioners in the field. This integration provides exciting new learning opportunities for WCL students through client-based research projects, expanded support for student research projects, and diverse special events at the school. PICEL also supports two long-term research projects: the global environmental standards project and the climate change law project.
Project on Global Environmental Standards
Throughout the past decade, civil society, multilateral development banks, export credit agencies, commercial banks, private industry, and governments have all been searching in different ways for commonly accepted environmental and social standards to govern major investments in developing countries. While some standards come from international treaties, others come from the policies of development banks themselves, namely those of the World Bank Group. The project on global environmental standards focuses on the substantive and procedural aspects of integrating global environmental priorities into international financial and investment decisions. Such global environmental priorities include, but are not limited to, the reduction of greenhouse gases or the conservation of biological diversity; the future direction of investment policy, including what rules would be necessary to protect community-based sustainable development; and the administrative procedural principles and practice that should govern standard-setting at international organizations.
Climate Law Project
Climate change is arguably the most pressing environmental issue facing humanity today. Little doubt now exists that human activities are causing an overall warming. Further, this warming has significant potential implications for agriculture, the spread of disease, sea level rise, polar ice, and biological diversity. At the same time, curbing climate change with minimum interference on the global economy and the need to continue raising the quality of life, particularly for the poor, will take creative and innovative law and policy making at all levels. As governments around the world discuss how best to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, the Climate Law Project strives to develop and promote innovative legal approaches to climate change, including approaches to carbon emissions trading, technology transfers, liability for climate change, and carbon financing.
Events
For information about events hosted by the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law, click here.
Contact
For more information about the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law and its activities, please contact the program coordinator, Erika Lennon.