The JuSTICE Project has organised the CEJ Leader and Executive Workshop on 5-6 February 2025 in Luang Prabang. The workshop was led by Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and in a close collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE), the workshop was carried out with a key focus on advancing and strengthening Lao governance on the CEJ.
The workshop brought together 38 officials from key government agencies, including MoJ’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Department of International Cooperation (DIC), Law Dissemination Department (LDD), Justice Administration and Promotion Department (JAPD), and Department of Legislation (DOL), the Lao Bar Association (LBA), the Office of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor (OSPP), the MONRE, Ministry Agriculture and Forestry (MOF), and Ministry of Public Security (MoPS)/Environmental Police Department.
The workshop’s core objectives were to engage participants in in-depth discussion with international environmental law experts and lawyer to enhance understanding of climate justice, environmental law, and governance within the Lao context. These discussions aimed to identify key enforcement challenges and opportunities in environmental justice sector, conduct a comprehensive review of existing legal frameworks related to environmental protection, foster stronger collaboration and coordination among relevant agencies and stakeholders, and develop concrete and actionable recommendations for strengthening environmental governance in Lao PDR.
Discussions focused on enforcement challenges, legal frameworks, collaboration, and recommendations for stronger environmental governance. Day 1 featured presentations by Ms. Briony Eales (overview of CEJ in Lao PDR), Dr. Georgina Lloyd (UNEP) (environmental rule of law and climate litigation), Mr. Matthew Baird (environmental courts and tribunals), and Ms. Jinmei Liu (public interest environmental litigation in China). Key topics included environmental law in ASEAN and Lao PDR, the role of the judiciary and prosecutors, and curriculum development for climate justice and environmental law.
Day 2 of the workshop facilitated dynamic group discussions, where participants focused on analysing key environmental disputes prevalent in Lao PDR, identifying the essential elements of effective environmental dispute resolution mechanisms, and developing practical strategies for strengthening interagency and multi-stakeholder collaboration to improve outcome.
Through this initiative, the JuSTICE Project is ultimately aimed to advancing the CEJ agenda in Lao PDR by promoting, mainstreaming, and contextualizing international standards for environmental law and governance to establish them as essential national standards. The project recognizes the crucial importance of a robust legal framework and strong institutional capacity in protecting the environment and ensuring a sustainable and equitable future for the people of Lao PDR.
