Realizing the Goal of Water for Life: Lessons from Around the World, an international conference two years in the making, will be held at the National Law University in New Delhi, India on May 30-31st. This event is part of LC law school’s ongoing relationship with the National Law Universities in India.
This international conference - originally envisioned by Dean Klonoff, Professor Susan Mandiberg, and leaders in the Environmental and Global Law Programs - has taken shape around issues of access to water and water quality. The conference brochure shows an impressive line up of international speakers from South Africa, Brazil, India, the US and London. One of the featured speakers is M.C. Mehta, the environmental activist in India credited with saving the Taj Majal and calling attention to the pollution of the Ganges river.
Access to clean water is a prerequisite to the realization of all other human rights. Yet, according to the UN, thirty-one countries are now facing water scarcity, and almost one billion people lack access to clean drinking water. Anticipated future population growth, coupled with increasing industrialization and urbanization, will result in an even greater demand for clean water–threatening serious consequences for humans and the environment. In light of these challenges, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the period 2005-2015 the “International Decade for Action: Water for Life.” This conference will consider two important issues affecting our ability to achieve “water for life”: transboundary water issues and water pollution.
With financial support from LC’s Strategic Initiative fund, Dean Klonoff, and the Environmental and Global law programs, the conference will feature prominent experts. International speakers from a variety of disciplines will provide insight into water issues and share lessons from around the world with speakers not only from the U.S. and India, but also from South Africa, Brazil and the UK.
The LC speaker contingent will include Dean Klonoff, Professor Erin Ryan and retired Professor Jan Neuman. Professor Barb Cosens (LLM alum) will also attend as a speaker on the Columbia River Treaty. The LC student conference coordinator, Alexis Andiman (3L), and the LC conference coordinator, Assistant Director of Environmental Law Lucy Brehm, will round out the LC team.
Lewis & Clark staff has coordinated closely on this conference with Nawneet Vibhaw, a Professor of Environmental Law at NLUD and an alumnus of our Environmental and Natural Resources LLM Program.
All are welcome to attend, and updates will be available on the Environmental Law facebook page (LCEnvironmentalLaw) and twitter feed (@EnviroLC).
For more information contact Lucy Brehm at lbrehm@lclark.edu.
