SOUTH ROYALTON, Vt. (March 18, 2026) — Legal scholars and practitioners will convene at Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) on March 20-21 for a symposium exploring global sustainability practices and environmental challenges. The event is hosted by the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law (VJEL), a student-run publication.
Taking place in person at the Chase Community Center in South Royalton and virtually, the symposium — titled “Sustainable Development Around the Globe” — will feature four panels, including:
- Transparency and Accountability for Sustainable Mining
- Valuing Forests – The Role of Ecosystem Services
- The Role of Governance in Arctic Sustainability
- Environmental and Social Impacts of Aquaculture and Possible Mitigation
Todd Howland, interim director of VLGS’s Environmental Justice Clinic, will deliver the keynote address focusing on the concept of a human rights economy.
Welcoming remarks begin Friday afternoon at 3 p.m., followed by the keynote speaker and two panels. Programming will continue Saturday morning and will include additional discussions focused on sustainable development and environmental policy challenges around the world.
The annual symposium follows the release of VJEL’s 2026 Top 10 Environmental Watch List, which highlights pieces written by VLGS student editors and faculty co-authors. The articles examine the most pressing environmental law issues facing courts, regulators and communities in the year ahead.
The Vermont Journal of Environmental Law offers a forum for discussion of contemporary legal issues and provides articles from academics, practitioners and students alike. Founded in 1996, it serves as a resource for environmental advocates in the legal field and beyond.
###
Vermont Law and Graduate School, a private, independent institution, is home to a law school that offers ABA-accredited residential and online hybrid JD programs and a graduate school that offers master’s degrees and certificates in multiple disciplines, including programs offered by the Maverick Lloyd School for the Environment, the Center for Justice Reform and other graduate-level programs emphasizing the intersection of environmental justice, social justice and public policy. Both the law and graduate schools strongly feature experiential clinical and field work learning. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.