The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is one of the nation’s most effective environmental action organizations, using law, science and the support of 1.2 million members and online activists to protect the planet’s wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all.

The NRDC has been working in China for over twelve years and established a program there in 2005 to improve environmental enforcement in China and strengthen the role of the legal profession, environmental groups,and the public in environmental protection. The challenge of this project is to help the NRDC, in conjunction with the ACLA (All-China Lawyers Association), build a culturally-sensitive training course for lawyers on negotiations and the resolution of environmental disputes in China (held for the first time in March of 2009).

Our work

Step 1: Do in-depth research into the resolution of complex environmental disputes, including working with NRDC and ACLA to identify China-specific components.

Step 2: Create case-based simulations development for environmental advocacy.

Step 3: Develop professional training materials (written and visual) for instructors and participants.

Step 4: Prepare and present (in Spring of 2009) material to an audience of Chinese lawyers in Beijing, China.

Final Product

Present a compilation of research, training simulations, reading packets for participants and instructors, and presentation of training – with NRDC and ACLA – in China.