Professor Emerita Dinah Shelton Receives 2016 CIEL International Environmental Law Award

The Board of Trustees recognized Professor Shelton’s scholarship in international environmental and human rights law.

December 14, 2016

Dinah Shelton

The Center for International Environmental Law's (CIEL) Board of Trustees awarded Dinah L. Shelton, Manatt/Ahn Professor Emerita of International Law, this year's International Environmental Law Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the effort to achieve solutions to environmental problems through international law and institutions.

In a press release, CIEL shared a few remarks regarding Professor Shelton’s accomplishments: "A globally recognized scholar in both international environmental law and international human rights, Professor Shelton made critical advances in both fields and contributed directly to their integration through her roles as a Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and as a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights from 2010-2014. Of particular note is her leadership during a term as Commission President, at a time when the Commission faced profound political pressure from Parties for its precautionary measures in environmental cases."

"As human rights take an ever-greater role in the climate debate in the wake of the global Paris Agreement, it is a particularly fitting time to recognize Professor Shelton’s contributions," says CIEL President Carroll Muffett.

Professor Shelton said, "Recognition from CIEL is a high honor indeed, and I am most appreciative of the laudatory citation. I have to note that as nearly all my work has been in collaboration with other scholars and activists, they merit equal or greater acknowledgment for any and all of the advances achieved. There remain daunting challenges which I hope the community can meet; in this CIEL will always be a leader."

Professor Shelton holds the singular distinction of being the only laureate to be honored with both the Elizabeth Haub Prize in Environmental Law and the American Society of International Law’s Butcher Medal for outstanding contributions to international human rights law. "We are honored and humbled to add CIEL’s International Environmental Law Award to that illustrious list," adds Ms. Muffett.

Professor Shelton serves on the boards of many human rights and environmental organizations. She joined GW Law in 2004.