Image

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University announced today that the 2021 Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy will be awarded to Ugandan climate justice advocate Vanessa Nakate and Professor Wang Xi, an environmental law scholar and advocate with Kunming University of Science and Technology in China.

Ms. Nakate will receive the 2021 Award in recognition of her citizen diplomacy in bringing the voice of her generation to global environmental campaigns and for her inspiring climate activism in Uganda and beyond. Since December 2018, Ms. Nakate, who is 24, has been making many strides both in Uganda and on the world stage. She was the first Friday for Future climate activist in Uganda and is also founder of the Rise Up Movement, which seeks to amplify the voices of activists from Africa.

Ms. Nakate has sought to draw global attention to the impact of climate change on poverty, hunger, disease, conflict, and violence against women and girls. She spearheaded a global campaign to save Congo’s rainforest, which is facing massive deforestation, and is working on a project that involves installation of solar and institutional stoves in schools. Ms. Nakate holds a degree in Business Administration in Marketing from Makerere University Business School. Her book, entitled A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis, will be published this fall.

Becoming an academic after China started to reform and open up in 1978, Professor Wang Xi is one the of the top environmental law experts in China. He will receive the Award for his outstanding contributions to the formulation of environmental laws in China. The advancement of environmental law in the largest and fastest-growing country in the world is of vital importance to the advancement of global environmental law.

He is also recognized for his leadership internationally through his tireless work enabling the international academic exchanges between the Chinese environmental law scholars and their overseas counterparts under the framework of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Dr. Wang Xi is Director of the Platform for Research on Ecological Civilization and Environmental Rule of Law at China’s Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST). Prior to joining KUST in 2019, he taught at Shanghai Jiao Tong University from 2002 to 2018 and at Wuhan University from 1984 to 2001.

The prestigious Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy was established in 1997 by the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, in cooperation with the Haub Family, to honor the legacy of Elisabeth Haub (1899 – 1977), a noted philanthropist and advocate for strong laws for the conservation of nature. The award is chosen yearly by an esteemed jury of individuals and was first established to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the United Nations Stockholm Conference and the 5^th anniversary of the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit.

“The Elisabeth Haub School of Law is proud that our No. 1 ranked environmental law program trains lawyers to understand the intersection between climate justice, the environment and the law,” said Haub Law Dean Horace Anderson. “We are honored this year to shine a light on two individuals from different parts of the world who work tirelessly in different ways to defend the environment.”

“We need to strengthen the environmental rule of law around the globe and break unsustainable consumption patterns,” said Professor Jason Czarnezki, Associate Dean and Executive Director, Environmental Law Programs, and Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law. “We are both inspired by and indebted to Vanessa Nakate and Professor Wang Xi, and they well deserve our recognition and support.”

“The Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy recognizes the innovation, skill, and accomplishments of lawyers, diplomats, international civil servants and other advocates who work to create the world environmental order,” said Pace University Trustee Liliane A. Haub. “It is our hope that with this award, we are making a statement in support of those individuals and communities who are fighting to create a more sustainable planet.”

The Conference, in partnership with The Business Council of New York State and The Hudson Renewable Energy Institute, to Focus on Achieving Ambitious Energy Goals

NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 22, 2021) — Pace University’s Lubin School of Business is partnering with The Business Council of New York State and The Hudson Renewable Energy Institute to bring together business leaders, environmental experts, and leading voices in the fields of energy, transportation, technology, academia, and government to discuss ways to effectively put New York and its businesses on a path to green energy.

The two-day virtual forum -- the 2021 Renewable Energy Conference: A Leadership Forum on Energy Policy – is regarded as one of the premier conferences of its kind. It will explore ways that New York can reach goals established after New York State in 2019 passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, such as achieving 70 percent renewable energy by 2030; realizing a fully decarbonized electric generating sector by 2040; and state-wide net-zero emissions by 2050, among other climate targets.

“This conference, known as the premier renewable energy conference on the East Coast, brings together experts in the field to discuss issues related to climate change, sustainability, and green workforces, among other related topics,” said Lawrence G. Singleton, dean of the Lubin School of Business, and a board member of The Hudson Renewable Energy Institute. “We are pleased to partner with The Business Council of New York State, Inc. and The Hudson Renewable Energy Institute to bring the Renewable Energy Conference to Lubin and to Pace University.”

The keynote speakers include Charles A. Freni, president & CEO, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.; Doreen M. Harris, president and CEO,
NYSERDA; and Basil Seggos, commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The conference, to be held via Zoom, is designed to allow attendees to learn and engage with subject matter experts.

View the full schedule here. Registration is $229.

This year’s conference will focus on the benefits and impacts of policy changes through panel discussions on the development and deployment of on -and- offshore wind and solar resources; the reduction of emissions in the transportation sector; and will provide an update on the work of the Climate Action Council, as well as the utilization of biomass in the State's energy mix, lessons learned from Texas, and the development of a sustainable, green workforce.

“Lawmakers have made it clear with the passage of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) that they are serious about climate change measures in New York with an aggressive 70% renewable energy mandate over the next nine years,” said Heather Briccetti, president & CEO, The Business Council of New York State. “This conference will feature qualified and accomplished industry professionals to help guide businesses through the challenges of reaching this goal and highlight the benefits and long-term impacts for employers and the state.”

Pace University has a rich history of excellence in business education and was founded as a school of accountancy in 1906. With a strong focus on experiential learning and one of the largest internship placement programs in the New York metropolitan area, Lubin’s combined job placement rate is nearly 90 percent. Earlier this year, the Lubin School of Business successfully maintained its dual accreditation for both business and accounting by AACSB International, an elite distinction shared by fewer than 2 percent of schools in the world offering business degree programs.

About Pace University
Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on the Pace News website.

About the Lubin School of Business at Pace University
Globally recognized and prestigiously accredited, the Lubin School of Business integrates New York City’s business world into the experienced-based education of its students at Pace’s suburban and downtown campuses, implemented by one of the region’s largest co-op programs, team-based learning, and customized career guidance. Its programs are designed to launch success-oriented graduates toward upwardly mobile careers.

About The Business Council of New York State: The Business Council of New York State, Inc., is the leading business organization in New York State, representing the interests of large and small firms throughout the state. Our membership is made up of roughly 2,400 member companies, local chambers of commerce and professional and trade associations. Though more than 75 percent of members are small businesses, it represents some of the largest and most important corporations in the world. Combined, our members employ more than 1.2 million New Yorkers. BCNYS serves as an advocate for employers in the state’s political and policy-making arenas, working for a healthier business climate, economic growth, and jobs.

About The Hudson Renewable Energy Institute: The Hudson Renewable Energy Institute (THREI.org) is a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation established to encourage development and use of renewable energy through the competitive market and educating consumers on smart energy choices. THREI provides an unbiased source of energy market information creating a smarter consumer. Its members come from all walks of life, in various sectors of industry, government and business that are interested in being energy smart.