THE Landowners’ Advocacy and Legal Support Unit (LALSU) in the Public Solicitor’s Office will host a legal training session Wednesday next week at the Quality Inn.
The training has been organised by LALSU in Honiara for public interest lawyers and other stakeholders.
Gillian Duggin of the Environmental Defenders’ Office, Australia, will present on Climate Change and REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), and Submission Writing for Policy and Law Reform.
The Environmental Defenders’ Office (EDO) is an Australian community legal centre which specialises in environmental law.
The Landowners’ Unit at the Public Solicitor’s Office is run by Senior Legal Officer, Jacob Kinai, and supported by the European Union.
Lawyers from the EDO work together with lawyers at LALSU and the Public Solicitor’s Office for the protection of the environment and to support the rights of landowners and users.
“The training will assist lawyers and other advocates in understanding how Solomon Islands forests fit in to the global response to climate change, and how best to contribute to the development of policy and law reform,” says Public Solicitor, Douglas Hou.
“The Public Solicitor’s Office has been providing legal assistance to the most disadvantaged people in the Solomon Islands since Independence.
“Our Landowners’ Unit established last year delivers legal education to landowners and users on their legal rights, to promote protection of the environment for our children”.
Mr Hou says that LALSU is conducting a series of legal workshops and clinics for landowners in the provinces, which began last year and will continue throughout 2010.
The Unit plans to take information gained from Wednesday’s training session to landowners in the provinces through these workshops.
“LALSU also provides advice and representation to landowners and land users for the protection of the environment,” says Mr Hou.
“When communities are empowered with information about the law, they can make more informed decisions about how to manage their resources and livelihoods.”
“Our environment is precious, and we all need to understand how to protect it for the future.”
Mr Hou says Wednesday’s training session will include legal aspects of REDD, which is proposed as part of the international response to climate change.
The focus of REDD is on reducing global carbon emissions by encouraging countries, like the Solomon Islands, to curb deforestation and forest degradation.
It recognises that forests are of greater value left standing, than when they are logged.
“Increasing our understanding of some of the legal aspects of REDD is important if this scheme is to be introduced in the Solomon Islands,” says Mr Hou.
“This training will help lawyers and other stakeholders better understand REDD, to make sure that its implementation in the Solomon Islands protects landowner rights and benefits the most disadvantaged people in our country.”
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