Mr Amiel Valdez was a Gold Medalist in CLGI’s 2017 legal essay competition, with his submission, Examining the Extent and Limits of the Philippine Writ of Kalikasan as a Tool to Compel the Government to Fulfill its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. His paper examines the writ of kalikasan (nature), a legal remedy used to initiate climate suits against the Philippine government to demand accountability in cases where it fails to fulfill its adaptation targets.

Amiel currently works as a Research Associate at the Centre for International Law (CIL),  at the National University of Singapore, where he is part of the International Law and Practice Programme. Amiel has extensive experience in environmental law, public policy, and governance. Prior to joining CIL, he was an Attorney at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines. At the DENR, he handled environmental law enforcement and adjudication, reviewed proposed policies and projects on the use of natural resources, and led a team which evaluated land titles. He also represented the Philippines at the United Nations (UN) working group session on Global Pact for the Environment (GPE).

Amiel was likewise an Assistant Professorial Lecturer 2 at the De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila, Philippines, where he taught Public International Law.

His research is focused on transboundary environmental impact assessment in Southeast Asia, climate change litigation in the context of disaster response, environmental rights, among others.

Amiel has generously shared his winning submission: click here to view it.

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed by essay participants in their essay submissions are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of CLGI.