About & How We Engage

WCEL works to enhance the development and strengthen the implementation of environmental law and policy, including through best practices and inter-sectoral strategies for effective compliance and enforcement.

WCEL promotes the environmental rule of law globally, particularly in countries that seek to improve their law and governance systems.

WCEL aims to strengthen the capacity of governments, the judiciary, prosecutors, law schools and other stakeholders as they develop and implement environmental law.

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900+ members

Description

a global network of environmental law and policy experts from all regions of the world

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8 specialist groups

Description

working on biodiversity, climate change, early career, ethics, oceans, peace, security & conflict, soils & sustainable agriculture, water and wetlands

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4 task forces

Description

on a Model Forest Act, on the Agreement on Plastic Pollution, on the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment, and on the Right of Nature

Our mandate

We work closely with the IUCN Secretariat, IUCN’s Regional Offices, other Commissions, and IUCN members to realise the Union’s One Programme Charter. Our work is based on the WCEL Mandate 2021-2024. 

WCEL membership

WCEL is a collection of individual volunteers who make up the Commission membership.

After applying for membership, the relevant Regional Vice Chair will review the application and where additional information is required, will be contacted. 

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Commission leadership

The Steering Committee governs the activities of WCEL. It is composed of the Commission Chair, the Deputy Chair, members, chairs emeriti and ex officio members. 

Chrstina Voigt, WCEL Commission chair

Dr. Christina Voigt, Chair

Dr. Christina Voigt is Professor of Law at the University of Oslo, Norway. She is an expert in international environmental law i.e., climate change, multilateralism and sustainability. 

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Law is the governance tool to translate science into action and to bring about systemic change. WCEL will work to promote and enhance the environmental rule of law to support such change.


Dr. Ayman Cherkaoui

Dr. Ayman Cherkaoui, Deputy Chair

Mr. Ayman Cherkaoui is the Coordinator for the Mohammed VI Prize for the Climate and Sustainable Development as well as Strategic Development Officer at the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental ...

Mr. Ayman Cherkaoui is the Coordinator for the Mohammed VI Prize for the Climate and Sustainable Development as well as Strategic Development Officer at the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection. 

University of Oslo
Event
2022 Oslo International Environmental Law Conference

WCEL successfully hosted its 3rd International Environmental Law Conference at the University of Oslo. The conference focused on the Transformative Power of Law: Addressing Global Environmental Challenges.