VIENTIANE: Climate and environmental justice efforts have been strengthened during an Environmental Law forum organised by the Lao Bar Association (LBA), with the support of the JuSTICE Project, funded by the Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD).
The two-day forum, held in Vientiane on Dec 4-5, brought together national justice actors, environmental specialists, and leading international experts to strengthen the enforcement of environmental protection laws and advance climate and environmental justice in Laos.
The forum was organised under the Judicial Services, Training and Institutions Capacity Enhancement (JuSTICE) Project, a multi-year initiative designed to reinforce the rule of law and build institutional capacity within the Lao justice sector.
The project works closely with the Ministry of Justice, the Lao Bar Association, the People’s Supreme Court, the Office of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to improve access to justice, enhance transparency, and strengthen environmental governance nationwide.
A central focus of the Forum was to strengthen the understanding and enforcement of environmental law in Laos by promoting peer learning and dialogue between national and international practitioners.
It provided a platform to discuss the practical application of environmental legislation, challenges in prosecution and adjudication, and innovative approaches to environmental protection.
Over the two days, participants engaged in substantive discussions on environmental law and climate justice, environmental litigation, access to environmental rights, air pollution, waste management, and environmental clinical legal education.
Sessions also highlighted shared challenges among Asean countries, and internationally, to examine innovative approaches to dispute resolution and environmental governance.
The forum featured distinguished speakers from Laos, Australia, China, France, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the United Nations Environment Programme.
Their presentations offered practical strategies for environmental protection, insights from regional legal contexts, and examples of mechanisms to reinforce access to environmental justice.
Panel discussions encouraged in-depth exchanges on implementation challenges and identified opportunities for stronger institutional collaboration.
Participants demonstrated strong engagement throughout the Forum, showing keen interest in comparative experiences from other countries and discussing how these could be adapted to strengthen enforcement of laws protecting the environment in Laos.
Many emphasised the importance of capacity-building of justice actors, improved inter-agency coordination, and raising public awareness of environmental rights and responsibilities.
The recommendations made at the event will contribute to policy development, capacity-building efforts, and continued collaboration between national institutions and international partners working to strengthen environmental and climate justice. - Vientiane Times/ANN
