Doctor of Juridical Science student Lorena Zenteno Villa recently attended an international conference titled "Law & Climate" in preparation for Azerbaijan's 2024 designation as the "Year of Solidarity for the Green World" and ahead of COP 29.
The Chilean human rights and environmental lawyer discussed findings from her research on a presentation titled “Legal remedies for climate claims: Defending human rights amid the climate crisis” to representatives of the international legal community at the event hosted by the Azerbaijan Judges' Union and the Supreme Court.
"I am honored by the invitation from my esteemed colleagues in Azerbaijan and inspired by their commitment to learning and preparing for the challenges of climate litigation," said Zenteno. "It is encouraging to see that my research resonates with the international community, and I am excited to contribute to this vital conversation."
The conference discussed a range of topics, including Azerbaijan's plans and expectations as the host of COP29, the role of the International Association of Judges in the field of environmental law, experiences in judicial cooperation on access to environmental justice at regional and international levels, current trends and successful examples of climate change litigation in international and national contexts, as well as the international legal framework on climate change, including the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the critical requirements of the Paris Agreement.
Widely published, Zenteno comes to the University of Miami School of Law to pursue an SJD, the highest degree offered in law. The post-LL.M. degree is designed for aspiring legal academics, members of the judiciary, public policymakers, and students interested in careers as legal scholars, teaching law inside or outside the United States.
Zenteno received an LL.M. in Environmental Law from the University of California, Davis School of Law, Davis; a master's in business law from the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; and an LL.B. from the Law School of Universidad de Concepcion, in Chile.
She has extensive experience, including as a reviewer for the Oxford Journal of Human Rights Practice, a reporter for the Oxford Public International Law, providing legal analysis and comments on selected cases of the inter-American system, and is currently a legal intern in the Center for International Environmental Law.
"Attending Miami Law has been an invaluable experience, and I am deeply grateful for the guidance and support of my supervisor, Professor Jessica Owley, as well as Professors Ileana Porras and Pablo Rueda Saiz. Their insights have been instrumental in shaping my research and fostering my growth in the field of climate law," she said.
Read more about Miami Law's enviromental law area of study.
