From October 9th to October 15th, 2025, a group of thirteen Pace Haub Environmental Law Program professors, alumni, and students traveled to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Congress brought together thousands of delegates and environmentalists from across the globe–including government representatives, NGOs, academics, and members of civil society–to discuss, debate, and decide on key issues shaping the future of global environmental policy.
For Haub Law students and alumni, the Congress allowed for direct participation in the creation of international environmental policy. Students and alums were afforded the opportunity to engage in meaningful negotiations on an array of motions with the goal of creating a positive impact on the conservation of nature. Members of the Haub Law community engaged with various stakeholders, attended workshops and events specific to their areas of interest, and also showcased their learning experience at the IUCN Forum in a Deep Dive Session entitled “From Classroom to Congress: Engaging Youth in the Making of International Environmental Policy.”
This session provided a time for students and alumni to highlight the motions development process that began in Fall 2023 in Professor Achinthi Vithanage’s Advanced International Environmental Law course. What started as classroom discussions on the role of international environmental law and policy in addressing global challenges evolved into concrete proposals for IUCN Motions. Students continued refining these ideas through independent research, and a guided research course, coupled with the dedicated support of Haub Law alumni who continued to work on and steward their motions post-graduation.
As the #1 ranked environmental law program in the nation, Haub Law continues to show how academic learning and practical engagement work hand-in-hand to drive real-world change by offering the unique ability of its students to contribute meaningfully to international environmental policymaking.
Through the work of GCELS and Professor Achinthi Vithanage’s course and guided research opportunity, eight student-led motions were submitted originally through the initial call for motions in January 2025. Students and alumni were able to share their motion stewardship experience with attendees from gaining co-sponsorship for motions, to the motions merging process, to contact group meetings for negotiation on the accepted text. Students and alumni also provided information about the e-voting process and the Members’ Assembly voting process.
In addition to the five motions authored or co-authored that were accepted during the e-vote prior to Congress, five motions authored or co-authored by the Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies (GCELS) were approved at the Members’ Assembly. These motions highlight Haub Law’s long-standing leadership in advancing innovative, justice-oriented environmental law and policy worldwide.
The Motions approved at the Members’ Assembly include:
Motion 007: Soil Security Law – Promoting the development of global legal frameworks to ensure the sustainable management and protection of soils as vital ecosystems.
Motion 033: Port State Measures Regarding Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing – Strengthening international cooperation to combat IUU fishing and preserve marine biodiversity.
Motion 061: Recognising the Crime of Ecocide to Protect Nature – Advocating for the recognition of ecocide as an international crime to hold perpetrators accountable for large-scale environmental harm.
Motion 094: Recognising the Importance of Indigenous Languages, Traditional Knowledge, and Cultural Heritage in Biodiversity Conservation – Elevating Indigenous voices and cultural knowledge systems as essential to effective global conservation.
Motion 141: Welcoming the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Climate Change – Supporting the use of international legal mechanisms to clarify state obligations and strengthen accountability in addressing climate impacts.
The Motions accepted at the Members’ Assembly are products of months of work and tireless negotiations and advocacy at the Congress from Haub Lab faculty, students and alumni.
The 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress served not only as a forum for global decision-making, but also as an inspiring reminder of the role that young lawyers, scholars, and advocates play in advancing environmental justice and sustainability. The Pace Haub Environmental Law community returned from Abu Dhabi energized and ready to continue its work in promoting innovative, inclusive, and effective solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
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