Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law

Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law
Name	Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law
Formation	2000s
Type	Research institute
Location	Singapore, Beijing, Bangkok
Region served	Asia-Pacific
Language	English language
Leader title	Director
Affiliations	National University of Singapore, University of Sydney, University of Tokyo

Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law is a regional legal research institute focused on environmental law and policy across the Asia-Pacific region. The Centre engages with international instruments such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Basel Convention, while collaborating with regional bodies including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum. It serves as a nexus between academic institutions like the National University of Singapore Law Faculty, governmental agencies such as the Ministry of the Environment (Japan), and non-governmental organizations exemplified by Greenpeace, WWF, and Conservation International.

History

The Centre was established in the early 21st century amid growing regional attention to transboundary environmental challenges following high-profile events like the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the negotiation rounds of the Kyoto Protocol. Founding partners included faculties and research centres from institutions such as the National University of Singapore, the University of Sydney Law School, and the University of Auckland, seeking to respond to issues highlighted at forums like the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Early initiatives connected with legal frameworks stemming from the Stockholm Declaration lineage and the evolving jurisprudence of courts such as the International Court of Justice and national bodies like the Singapore Supreme Court.

Mission and Objectives

The Centre's mission prioritizes strengthening legal frameworks related to climate change, biodiversity, pollution control, and sustainable development across jurisdictions including China, India, Australia, Malaysia, and Philippines. Objectives emphasize capacity building with partners such as the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Bank, promoting harmonization of treaties like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and advancing rights-based approaches reflected in instruments akin to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as applied in environmental adjudication by tribunals like the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

Programs and Activities

Programs span legal training, policy advisory, and litigation support tied to initiatives such as strategic environmental assessments used by agencies like the Asian Development Bank and compliance mechanisms related to the Paris Agreement. Activities include workshops with stakeholders from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Food and Agriculture Organization, moot courts modeled after competitions hosted by the International Criminal Court and capacity exchanges with institutions like the Harvard Environmental Law Program and the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy. The Centre also runs policy dialogues during conferences such as the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties and regional seminars in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat.

Research and Publications

Research outputs cover comparative analyses of statutes, case law, and treaty implementation drawing on precedents from the European Court of Justice environmental jurisprudence, rulings from the Supreme Court of India, and arbitration decisions under the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Publications include monographs, policy briefs, and edited volumes produced with publishers and series associated with the Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and reports disseminated via partnerships with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and think tanks like the Chatham House and the Lowy Institute. The Centre's scholarship addresses topics such as marine pollution governance under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, transboundary haze regulation linked to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, and biodiversity protection under the Nagoya Protocol.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Collaborations extend to universities including the University of Tokyo, Peking University, Tsinghua University, the Australian National University, and the University of Hong Kong, as well as international organizations like the United Nations Development Programme and civil society groups including BirdLife International and Friends of the Earth. Multilateral project work has interfaced with regional mechanisms such as the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, and with funding bodies like the Global Environment Facility and bilateral agencies such as the Australian Agency for International Development.

Governance and Funding

Governance structures typically feature advisory boards with legal scholars from institutions like the London School of Economics, former jurists from courts such as the International Court of Justice, and practitioners from law firms with pro bono practices recognized by organizations like Legal Aid. Funding streams combine grants from foundations such as the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, project funding via the European Union external action instruments, and contractual research commissioned by intergovernmental organizations like the World Health Organization.

Impact and Recognition

The Centre's impact is reflected in contributions to national law reforms in jurisdictions including Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Indonesia, cited in judgments of courts such as the Supreme Court of the Philippines and referenced in policy papers by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Recognition includes invitations to speak at high-level events like sessions of the United Nations General Assembly and awards or acknowledgments from regional bodies such as the ASEAN University Network and international law associations including the International Council of Environmental Law.

Category:Environmental law organizations Category:Research institutes in Asia-Pacific