Press release
Legal Experts and Environmental Advocates Convene in Cebu for First Regional Meeting of the Regional Alliance of Environmental Law Clinics and Legal Aid Centres in Asia-Pacific (ELC)
CEBU CITY, Philippines, 29 October 2026 - The Regional Alliance of Environmental Law Clinics and Legal Aid Centres in Asia-Pacific is holding its first regional meeting in Cebu City from 29 to 30 October. It brings together legal experts, law clinics and civil society organisations with the main theme of “Advancing biodiversity protection under the rule of law”
Organised by the University of Cebu School of Law as the Secretariat, with support from Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the two-day gathering aims to strengthen legal aid and environmental justice across the region.
Building on the May 2025 inception workshop, this meeting marks a key milestone in formalising the Regional Alliance of Environmental Law Clinics and Legal Aid Centres in Asia-Pacific. Over both days, delegates will finalise governance frameworks, establish a joint 2027 work plan, and enhance cross-border collaboration among university law clinics and legal aid non-profits.
The gathering comes at a critical time for the region, as data from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) estimates the Asia-Pacific region will miss 88% of its environment-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. According to the UN, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, the economic contribution of sustainable fisheries is declining, and marine ecosystems are in “serious decline.”
The Regional Alliance addresses this gap by mobilising university law clinics and legal aid centres to advance environmental rights and expand legal protection for frontline communities.
“As the Secretariat of this first regional meeting, we are proud to play a critical role towards ensuring the rule of law is harnessed towards protecting the environment and our natural resources,” said Rose-Liza Eisma Osorio, Professor at the University of Cebu School of Law. “After this regional meeting, the next step is to ensure the milestones we have achieved today will be sustained over the upcoming years, and this can be done by empowering and fostering cooperation among the region’s university law clinics and legal aid centres.”
“Clinical legal education is essential for preparing future lawyers to tackle complex environmental crises,” said Manuel Elijah Sarausad, Chairperson of the University of Cebu Legal Aid and Law Center, Inc. “Therefore, hosting this inaugural meeting reinforces our commitment to practical legal training and community-focused advocacy.”
“Environmental law clinics play an essential role across the Asia Pacific region safeguarding environmental rights, strengthening awareness of the law and providing meaningful access to justice for communities, thereby supporting the environmental rule of law,” said Georgina Lloyd, Regional Coordinator for Environmental Governance, UNEP Asia and the Pacific Office. “The Regional Alliance serves as a critical network for stakeholders to work together and share experiences, increasing collective impact.”
“ClientEarth is delighted that the Regional Alliance has convened its first regional meeting,” said Joyce Melcar Tan, Head of Food, Ocean, and Land Use (FOLU), Japan and Southeast Asia at ClientEarth. “ClientEarth is committed to supporting environmental law and legal aid centres throughout the region, and we look forward to working with more regional partners in the future. We hope that with the Alliance, environmental law clinics and legal aid centres across the region will feel supported in their efforts to protect communities on the frontlines of environmental degradation.”
The regional meeting followed the sixth University of Cebu-Konrad Adenauer Stiftung International Environmental Moot Court Competition, held from 26 to 28 October. Participants competed, presenting legal arguments on the “Protection of the Marine Environment under the Rule of Law in Armed Conflict and Environmental Tort.”
On 31 October, after the regional meeting, participants will visit a fishing community as a Clinical Legal Education (CLE) site in the Municipality of Cordova, Cebu. This activity is in partnership with the University of Cebu Community Awareness, Relations, and Extension Services (UC CARES). During the community visit, law students at the University of Cebu School of Law’s Environmental Law Clinic will conduct legal literacy and capacity building sessions for members of fisherfolk organisations on relevant environmental laws, specifically on the Amended Fisheries Code. A community legal aid clinic will also be conducted to cater to the legal concerns of the community members and volunteer lawyers will also offer free drafting and notarization of simple legal documents. This will be capped with a mangrove planting in neighbouring barangays.
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About the University of Cebu
The University of Cebu (UC) is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1964 by Atty. Augusto W. Go. Guided by its enduring mission of democratizing education, giving hope, and transforming lives, UC has grown into one of the Philippines’ largest private universities, serving more than 60,000 students through its multi-campus system across Metro Cebu, comprising UC Main, UC Banilad, UC Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue, UC Maritime Education and Training Center, UC South in Pardo and Talisay, and a medical complex - the UC Medical Center (UCMed) which houses the UC School of Medicine. Its diverse academic offerings span basic, undergraduate, and graduate education through its colleges and schools, including the UC School of Law. Designated by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as a Center for Human Rights Education (CHRE), UC also advances human rights awareness, education, and advocacy. Through its commitment to accessible, relevant, and quality education, UC continues to open doors of opportunity, produce topnotchers and accomplished professionals, nurture future leaders, empower communities, and contribute to nation-building.
About United Nations Environment Programme
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
About Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
Freedom, justice and solidarity are the basic principles underlying the work of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). The KAS is a political foundation, closely associated with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). As co-founder of the CDU and the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) united Christian-social, conservative and liberal traditions. His name is synonymous with the democratic reconstruction of Germany, the firm alignment of foreign policy with the trans-Atlantic community of values, the vision of a unified Europe and an orientation towards the social market economy. His intellectual heritage continues to serve both as our aim as well as our obligation today. In our European and international cooperation efforts we work for people to be able to live self-determined lives in freedom and dignity. We make a contribution underpinned by values to helping Germany meet its growing responsibilities throughout the world.
About University of Cebu Legal Aid and Law Center, Inc.
The University of Cebu Legal Aid and Law Center, Inc. (UCLALCI) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation established in 2008. As the legal aid and extension arm of the University of Cebu School of Law, UCLALCI is committed to “bringing the law closer to the people” by promoting legal aid as a means of legal empowerment, enabling individuals and communities, particularly the underprivileged and marginalized, to understand, assert, and protect their rights. It provides accessible legal services and assistance while advancing access to justice through continuing legal education, legal aid clinics, community-based initiatives, and partnerships with government agencies, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders. Guided by the UC School of Law’s core values of Global Competence, Ethical Excellence, and Social Responsiveness, UCLALCI bridges legal education and community service while fostering a culture of justice, rights consciousness, and social responsibility.
About ClientEarth
ClientEarth is a non-profit environmental organisation that uses the law to create systemic change that protects the Earth for—and with—its inhabitants. We are tackling climate change, protecting nature and stopping pollution, with partners and citizens around the globe. In Asia, we work with the private sector, civil society and government regulators to support the net zero transition through capacity building and legal analysis on topical issues including climate change, sustainability and the environment. From our offices in Europe, Asia and the USA we help build a future for our planet in which people and nature can thrive together.