Giovanna E. Gismondi, a visiting associate professor and Environmental Law Fellow at GW Law, presented at the European Society of International Law (ESIL) International Conference in Barcelona titled “The Crossroad of International Environmental Law Enforcement.” The conference, held at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, provided a platform for global scholars to discuss the integration of human rights and environmental protection.
Gismondi's presentation emphasized the need for legal frameworks that combine environmental sustainability and human rights protection. Gismondi spoke about the right to a healthy environment within the Inter-American Human Rights System, highlighting evolving legal frameworks that seek to bridge international environmental law and human rights. Her paper focused on recent developments within the Inter-American System, with particular attention to the landmark La Oroya Community v. Peru decision issued in 2024. This case, which arose from decades of severe air, water, and soil contamination in central Peru, underscores the growing intersection of environmental justice and human rights law.