Fourth Al-Moumin Distinguished Lecture on Environmental Peacebuilding: Ambassador Marie Jacobsson
For the last three years, Ambassador Marie Jacobsson has served as the International Law Commission’s Special Rapporteur for the topic Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict. In the fourth Al-Moumin lecture, Ambassador Jacobsson reflected on her experiences working with States and the United Nations to articulate, for the first time, a suite of laws and norms protecting the environment in relation to armed conflict. The recent practice of States and international organizations to prevent environmental harm before armed conflict and to rebuild war-torn environments after an armed conflict stands in stark contrast to States’ unwillingness to commit themselves to further legally binding rules applicable during armed conflict.
At the event, the Ambassador was recognized with the prestigious Al-Moumin Award for her outstanding contributions to environmental peacebuilding.
Ambassador Marie Jacobsson has been a Member of the United Nations International Law Commission since 2007 and was appointed Special Rapporteur for the topic Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict in 2013. Dr. Jacobsson is the Principal Legal Adviser on International Law at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and is an Associate Professor of International Law at Lund University, Sweden.
The Al-Moumin Award and Distinguished Lecture of Environmental Peacebuilding recognize leading thinkers who are shaping the field of environmental peacebuilding. It is named in honor of Dr. Mishkat Al-Moumin, Iraq’s first Minister of Environment, a human rights and environment lawyer. The Lecture Series is part of a broader effort by the Environmental Law Institute, UN Environment Programme, American University, and other institutions to foster analysis and dialogue regarding the connections between conflict, peace, and the environment.