The ELC recently supported the launch of two new environmental law clinics in Bhutan and Thailand, which are the first in their Asian countries. As part of the ELC’s long-term relationship with these Clinics ELC Executive Director Deborah Curran travelled to both countries in August to provide advice about the development of the clinics and made presentations at workshops on climate change and environmental justice.
Deborah was the first presenter in the Jigme Singe Wangchuk School of Law’s Climate and Environmental Law Centre’s Climate Change Talk Series (speaking on adaptation in water law and implications for Bhutan), taught a class in the clinic course, and was a speaker for JSW’s Climate Justice Workshop. She also presented at the 3rd Law Chiang Mai University International Conference: Environmental Justice in Transition on the role of legal clinics in environmental justice.
“The experience was remarkable for both the similarities and differences in environmental law issues. The legal issues relating to environmental harms are familiar – impacts from climate change, forestry, mining, declining water quality and development in general. What is very different in all three countries is citizens’ relationship with state governments and how decisions about the environment are made. Our partner ELC Clinics and their fabulous Directors – Professors Tshering Dolkhar in Bhutan and Songkrant Pongboonjung in Thailand – offer a new opportunity to promote public interest environmental law and support students to take on this work in significantly underserved areas of our global ecosystem.” –Deborah Curran