The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in White Plains will present the 2023 Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy to Ambassador Marja Lehto of Finland and former Ambassador Marie Jacobsson of Sweden for their pivotal roles advancing environmental law and policy to protect the environment in times of armed conflicts on Oct 23 at 4 p.m. in the university Student Center in New York City.
Lehto is senior expert on public international law for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and, until recently, Jacobsson served as principal legal adviser on international law, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden. While Members of the UN International Law Commission (ILC), both served successively as special rapporteur for the topic of the “Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict.” In this role they worked tirelessly for a decade to develop the “Draft Principles of International Law to Protect the Environment in Times of Armed Conflicts” and then skillfully led the adoption of the draft principles by the ILC and their acceptance by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022.
The principles lay out the urgent need and common objectives to reinforce and advance the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of the environment for present and future generations, specifically with respect to the protection of the environment before, during or after an armed conflict, including in situations of occupation. Remarkably, over the years, more than 60 states engaged with the topic, offering support and observations as did international governmental and
nongovernmental organizations.
“The Elisabeth Haub School of Law”™s No. 1 ranked environmental law program is committed to advancing the rule of environmental law across the globe and to developing the skill, knowledge, commitment and passion for the cause that both Ambassador Lehto and Ambassador Jacobsson so admirably demonstrate,” said Horace E. Anderson Jr., Haub Law dean and president of the Haub Award Jury.
The award was established in 1997 by the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, in cooperation with the Haub Family, to honor the legacy of Elisabeth Haub (1899”“1977), a noted philanthropist and advocate for strong laws for the conservation of nature.
“Through the prestigious Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy we aim to recognize the tireless efforts of two bold women whose leadership, insight and commitment are making a difference in our fight to create a more sustainable world,” said Pace University Trustee Liliane A. Haub.
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law, housed on Pace University”™s campus in White Plains, opened its doors in 1976 and has more than 9,000 alumni around the world. The school maintains a unique philosophy and approach to legal education that strikes an important balance between practice and theory. Haub Law launched its Environmental Law Program in 1978, and it has long been ranked among the world”™s leading university programs, with a current No.1 ranking by “U.S. News and World Report.”
