Organization Mission

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP is the United Nations system´s lead entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level.

UNEP´s Law Division works with countries around the world to develop, implement and promote legal and institutional frameworks for environmental management and sustainable development. Its strategic direction in this respect comes from the Fifth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Programme V) adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) through resolution 4/20 in March 2019, as an intergovernmental programme designed to promote the development and implementation of environmental rule of law, strengthen the related capacity in countries, and contribute to the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda.
UNEP´s Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO), located in Panama City, Panama, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by UNEA.
The Regional Platform of Environmental Law Lecturers was launched and held its inaugural meeting on 26 September 2023, in occasion of the Regional Conference of the Fifth Montevideo Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Programme). This initiative is built upon the existence of valuable spaces for teaching and disseminating environmental law in Latin America and the Caribbean, which facilitates enrichment and exchange among legal experts at the regional, subregional and national levels. These exchange forums have contributed to the advancement of environmental law as well as to the creation of longstanding professional relationships and networks among members of the legal community.
The Regional Platform of Environmental Law Lecturers in Latin America and the Caribbean (the Platform) aims primarily to promote collaboration and knowledge exchange among academics, lecturers, and researchers dedicated to Environmental Law in the region.
In this context, a model curriculum teaching environmental law in Latin America and the Caribbean was developed. The main objective of the curriculum is to promote a critical and interdisciplinary understanding of Environmental Law in Latin America and the Caribbean. Within this framework, it aims to integrate regional environmental principles, regulations, and challenges, fostering the implementation of legal and policy strategies adapted to the social, cultural, and economic realities of each country.

Context

The model curriculum teaching environmental law in Latin America and the Caribbean is divided into six thematic units comprising twelve modules. The structure was designed taking into account the cross-cutting nature of fundamental issues, with a practice- and management-oriented approach. The general organization is as follows:
Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental Law and Sustainable Development
Unit 2: International and Regional Environmental Law
Unit 3: Constitutional Environmental Law
Unit 4: Environmental Governance and Institutions
Unit 5: Environmental Management Instruments
Unit 6: Implementation and Current Trends
Cross-cutting modules included: Climate Change and Law; Environmental Litigation and Access to Justice; Urban Environmental Law and Sustainability; Environment and Health; Environmental Justice and Indigenous Peoples; Academic and Methodological Considerations.
The Model Program for Teaching Environmental Law in Latin America and the Caribbean constitutes a substantial step forward in consolidating comprehensive, contextualized, and transformative environmental legal education. It represents a starting point for strengthening teaching and academic capacities in the region, as well as for training future generations of professionals committed to sustainability and environmental justice.
Its implementation is expected to be flexible, allowing universities and professors to adapt it to their local realities, with a commitment to its continuous improvement through the exchange of experiences and best practices.

Key Responsibilities

Required Skills and Experience

• The online volunteer is expected to be fluent in Spanish (preferably native) and have an advanced level of English.
• Candidates must have prior experience in translating/proofreading institutional documents in English.
• Must be familiar with legal vocabulary.
• Candidates must have an advanced or expert level of English. They must be able to work under tight deadlines.
• Must have an interest in work related to the United Nations and its agencies, funds, and programmes.
• Experience in translating official documents and understanding the appropriate tone for such translations is an advantage.