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LEGAL REPORT/ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW "It's really unique to have a centre with such a huge core of environmental law professors, but also so connected to the various other organizations that we can feed directly into." HEATHER MCLEOD-KILMURRAY, THE CENTRE'S FOUNDING DIRECTOR Precaution and Adaptive Management with the university's Institute of the Environment. It examined legal, insti- tutional, and procedural dimensions of scientific uncertainty, and how govern- ment actually puts related policies into practice. A group of professors also collaborated with IUCN on a major project called Protected Areas Law and Governance. An ongoing initiative sees a group attempting to work together to study climate change, biodiversity, and protected areas. Ottawa U has also expanded its repu- tation as a top destination for environ- mental law studies by hosting confer- ences. In 2006, Chalifour put together the seventh annual Global Conference on Environmental Taxation, which took place at the faculty. Instructors worked with the IUCN in 2008 on a confer- ence regarding climate law in develop- ing countries. In June of this year, the faculty hosted a conference on the law and policy of biofuels. The faculty has also attracted significant recognition for its annual environmental speaker series, which sees several experts visit the school to expound on a range of hot topics. "It's really unique to have a centre with such a huge core of environmental law professors, but also so connected to the various other organizations that we can feed directly into," says McLeod- Kilmurray. "We have all these professors working together and in collaboration with these other organizations to really focus in on these particular areas." It's likely that the centre will get sig- nificant contributions from Ecojustice, the non-profit organization that uses the law to fight for environmental causes. Justin Duncan, a staff lawyer at Ecojustice's Toronto office, hopes the centre can help foster greater buy- in for his organization's initiatives. He believes environmental awareness has finally gained a permanent foothold as a top social issue in Canada. Duncan notes that Ecojustice expected to face a decline in donations in light of the recent economic downturn, but was pleasantly surprised to find its fund- ing has remained steady. He hopes the centre finds time to focus on the right to a healthy environment, noting that some 140 nations have constitutionally enshrined the right to a healthy environ- PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY Supreme Court of Canada Counsel and Agency Services Henry S. Brown, QC Brian A. Crane, QC Guy Régimbald Graham Ragan Matthew Estabrooks Eduard J. Van Bemmel, Law Clerk ment. Canada is one of the few nations yet to implement such legislation. For her part, McLeod-Kilmurray says those involved in the centre are filled with energy to push environmental law forward, and will be looking to channel it with help from the legal community at large. "We're really interested in hearing from people who have suggestions for directions for the centre," she says. "It would be interesting to hear from com- munity stakeholders, too, what areas the centre could help with." Meanwhile, Ottawa law dean Bruce Feldthusen says the school's environ- mental law focus has become as a major attraction for top students. While the centre will help reinforce that, he believes it will serve a greater purpose for the environmental law bar, and Canadian society in general. "While I have a feel- ing that environmental issues seem to climb and sink with the political winds, one thing [the centre] will bring is sustained attention to environmental issues, independent of the grandstand- ing that we might see in the public dis- course," says Feldthusen. "This is going to be ongoing and serious." montréal ottawa toronto hamilton waterloo region 160 Elgin StreetSuite 2600OttawaOntarioK1P 1C3T 613-233-1781 calgary vancouver moscow london www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com SEPTEMBER 2011 45 ormit_CL_Aug_11.indd 1 7/13/11 3:44:20 PM ntitled-6 1 7/20/11 11:40:58 AM