From the founders of FIELD
Why does environmental law matter and what was it like for FIELD back in the early years? Why was the Chernobyl accident important in this context and is ethics in environmental law relevant? Landmark rulings of the International Court of Justice and the implementation of law going forward – watch the FIELD founders James Cameron and Philippe Sands in an interview by Environment correspondent Alex Kirby in five unique videos.
Videos on the history of FIELD and environmental law
How it all Started (4 min 50)
The Early Years (4 min 50)
Why Environmental Law (3 min 36)
Environmental Ethics in Law (5 min 53)
The Future (3 min 26)
How it all started
It’s the late 1980’s in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. Rules on transboundary pollution don’t exist nor in fact does international environmental law. Prompted by the above, two young British barristers head to Washington DC where they meet like-minded US environmental lawyers. Starting off by providing legal opinions to Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the like, the four lawyers band together to create CIEL (Centre for International Environmental Law) - later renamed FIELD* – and take the first steps towards the emergence of international environmental law.
* FIELD founders – Philippe Sands, James Cameron, Wendy Dinner, and Derwood Zaelke.
The Early Years
From staying with friends while attending major climate change conferences to receiving the first funding from the Ford Foundation for provision of pro bono legal assistance – the early development of FIELD.
Why Environmental Law
Why is law necessary for global environmental protection and can we do without it? How necessary is effective, just and fair law to achieving progress in global environmental matters and ultimately the Greater Good?
Environmental Ethics in Law
How long must we wait before environmental laws are actually acknowledged and enforced? Two groundbreaking rulings by the International Court of Justice prove that consciousness is gradually changing. But are we there yet?
The Future
FIELD’s changing role in the development of global understanding of international law and environmental issues in the next 20 years.
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