From July to September 2025, the JuSTICE Project, funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), supported the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in delivering a series of Climate and Environmental Justice (CEJ) Core Module Trainings to representatives from key justice and environmental institutions across Lao PDR.
About 76 officials including 32 female from the People’s Supreme Court (PSC), the Office of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor (OSPP), the Ministry of Justice (Law Dissemination Department, Judicial Administration and Promotion Department, and Department of Legislation), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Lao Bar Association (LBA), and Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), were trained.
All sessions were facilitated by Mr. Martin Cosier, International Environmental Law Expert, assisted by Mr. Matthew Baird, the JuSTICE Project’s CEJ Expert.
Modules 1 and 2 focused on concepts of climate justice, environmental governance, ASEAN environmental frameworks, and key international agreements, alongside fundamental principles such as the precautionary and polluter-pays principles. Through interactive discussions and case-based exercises, participants explored how these principles apply within the Lao legal system and shared experiences on addressing climate-related challenges.
Modules 3 and 4 shifted the focus to national environmental legislation and procedural aspects of environmental and climate dispute resolution. Participants examined domestic laws related to biodiversity and wildlife protection, pollution control, waste management, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and worked through practical exercises to identify environmental issues and assess impacts. Sessions also covered dispute-resolution pathways under the Environmental Protection Law (2024), civil liability, grievance mechanisms, and environmental crime.
Across all four modules, participants provided inputs to refine and strengthen the CEJ training content. The CEJ Core modules are expected to be integrated into NIJ’s 1-year judicial training curriculum for judges, prosecutors and lawyers. This participatory approach ensures that the modules are practical, contextually relevant, and aligned with institutional needs.
By equipping legal and judicial actors with enhanced knowledge and practical skills in CEJ, this initiative aims to strengthen environmental law application, support informed decision-making, and the advancement of Climate and Environmental Justice within the Lao PDR justice system.
