ABA ROLI is seeking Pro Bono Legal Specialist(s) with expertise in Environmental Law and Climate Litigation to contribute to the implementation of the Program “Right to Resilience: Community-Led Advocacy for Human Rights, Political Participation, and Good Governance in Island Communities Impacted by Climate Change” (Right to Resilience).
Background:
A warming world, rising seas, and extreme weather are especially harmful to people living along the coasts of island states. In archipelago states, climate change is already changing the local environment and impacting economic, social, and cultural (ESC) rights; Indigenous peoples, rural people, women, disabled people, and people living in poverty are particularly vulnerable. However, ESC rights are not the only rights impacted by climate change; respect for ESC rights is contingent on the exercise of civil and political rights, such as the right to meaningful and informed participation in public affairs, the right to vote, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and the rights to equality and non-discrimination. In Indonesia, the Philippines, and other island communities, government and private sector projects have worsened environmental change, but members of local communities, especially Indigenous ones, are often deliberately excluded from government decision-making processes or are not given the information necessary for effective participation. Business interests or corruption often lead governments to ignore impact assessments and community consultation. Citizens face challenges documenting the link between environmental change and human rights violations, while journalists and civil society organizations (CSOs) may not have the skills to effectively inform the public or advocate for their rights, or face reprisals for doing so.
As part of its effort to promote human rights of the communities impacted by climate change, ABA ROLI began the implementation of the Right to Resilience Program in September 2021. The Program is aimed at empowering communities to participate in political and decision-making processes and influence governments to take action to mitigate the impact of climate change on human rights in island communities.
Responsibilities:
To ensure the protection of human rights in communities impacted by climate change, ABA ROLI is collaborating with local CSOs in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Fiji to provide legal aid for communities and engage in domestic and international strategic litigation. The legal specialist will provide support through consultation and mentoring to ABA ROLI’s local CSO partners by sharing information, knowledge, and experience related to the litigation of climate change and environmental cases in the United States and abroad. ABA ROLI’s local partners in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Fiji will learn from the legal specialist’s expertise and experience to develop their own litigation strategies to counter the impact of climate change on human rights in their own countries.
The legal specialist will work alongside ABA ROLI’s local partners to:
1. Share lessons learned, best practices, relevant information, regulations, and experiences litigating cases related to climate change and the environment in the United States and abroad;
2. Support the CSOs as they develop their own litigation approach and strategy (as needed);
3. Mentor the CSO partners and/or their lawyers on other relevant matters related to environmental strategic litigation; and
4. Participate in an in-person mentorship event in 2024
The estimated time commitment is approximately 30 remote working days over a period of 12 months from August 2023 - August 2024 and one five-day trip to Jakarta or Manila (exact dates and location to be determined).
Qualifications:
1. Knowledge of the impact of climate change on human rights;
2. Knowledge of environmental law and climate litigation in the United States and/or abroad;
3. Experience in strategic litigation, especially cases related to climate and the environment; and
4. Familiar with the context of Asia and the Pacific countries
How to apply
To Apply:
Please submit a cover letter and CV to R2R-HR@americanbar.org with the subject line “Pro-bono Environmental Law Legal Specialist Application” by September 1, 2023.