ADB Establishes Network of University Educators to Advance the Practice of Environmental, Climate Change, and Sustainability Law
Environmental law institutions and educators are essential resources in supporting the fight against climate change. It is ultimately their pedagogy that will critically influence future environment and climate change law practitioners and thus impact the future of our climate and humanity.
In 2015, ADB established a regional network of university teachers, trainers, and practitioners dedicated to advancing the teaching and practice of environmental, climate change and sustainability law across the Asia-Pacific. Through this network, a Train-the-Trainers (TTT) program was initiated to provide participants with new skills and tools for effective teaching. Representing institutions in 14 countries—Bangladesh, Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam—the program built local and regional environmental and climate change law expertise and increased the number of qualified legal specialists working within government, the judiciary, civil service organizations, and the private sector.
As part of this initiative, ADB also developed various knowledge resources for environmental law professors, such these e-learning courses available to those who sign up on ADB eLearn:
- Core principles of environmental law;
- Teaching and research of environmental law in the Asia Pacific region;
- Human rights and the environment;
- Biodiversity law in Southeast Asia;
- A comparative analysis of environmental impact assessment in Southeast Asia; and
- Compliance and enforcement of environmental impact assessments.
As part of this initiative, ADB assisted the Legal Education Board of the Philippines to develop a model environmental law syllabus and other learning modules for Filipino environmental law professors and lecturers. A similar model curriculum for Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries—Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and Viet Nam— is also in progress.