Pace Law School Honors Two Environmental Leaders

Two environmental leaders stood on a stage at Pace University in New York City on October 21, 2026, to accept a major legal honor. The 2026 Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy went to Alfred Brownell and Durwood Zaelke. The ceremony marked the culmination of decades of work in international environmental governance.

Brownell, a Liberian lawyer and professor, received the citation for his strategic approach to protecting communities. His legal work has focused on defending environmental and climate activists across Africa. He has also advanced rights for natural resources and climate justice on a global scale. Zaelke, the founder and president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, was recognized for his role in shaping climate policy. He helped strengthen the Montreal Protocol and led efforts to secure the Kigali Amendment. That amendment extended the protocol's framework to address greenhouse gases.

The event included a panel discussion titled Transforming International Law to Protect People and the Planet. Both award recipients joined David Hunter, a Professor Emeritus at American University Washington College of Law. Camila Bustos, an Associate Professor of Law at Haub Law, moderated the conversation. The group examined how international law addresses current environmental challenges.

The award specifically acknowledged the recipients' contributions to environmental justice and governance. The ceremony highlighted the connection between diplomatic efforts and legal frameworks. It served as a formal recognition of their influence on the development of environmental law over the past several decades.