Name: L. Brennan Van Dyke

Position: Director, Regional Office for North America, United Nations Environment Programme

Education: B.A., University of California, Berkeley; J.D., Yale Law School

1. How does your present work involve issues of international environmental law?
   
   I represent UNEP in the United States and Canada. My responsibility requires me to remain abreast of all of UNEP's activities, of which the development and promotion of and capacity building in international environmental law are a significant part. I make speeches that raise international environmental law topics; I participate in conferences relating to the topic of international environmental law; I promote the ratification and implementation of international environmental conventions by the countries in my region; and I engage international environmental lawyers, judges and scholars in my region in the work of UNEP.
   
   
2. Which aspects of international environmental law practice do you find the most interesting, and which do you consider the most difficult?
   
   The most difficult challenge is getting individuals and institutions in the region to focus on international environmental topics. One of the most interesting parts of my work is strategizing on how to make international topics more relevant to these individuals and institutions.
   
   
3. What training and/or previous experience do you consider to have been helpful to your ability to effectively analyze and solve problems in this field?
   
   I can identify qualities that I consider most useful, but not my formal training, particularly. It is critical to be able to listen well to others, to be very well organized, to be willing to prioritize and stick to your priorities, and to have a sense of humour.
   
   
4. Within the field, what issues or areas do you expect to pose the most significant challenges for policymakers, industry, and NGOs in the year 2003 and beyond?
   
   Overcoming corruption at the national level is probably the single greatest obstacle to the promotion of and global adherence to the rule of law, whether that be environmental law or another legal discipline.
   
   
5. What words of encouragement or counsel would you offer to students of environmental law or to young environmental law practitioners interested in working in the area of international environmental law?
   
   Do work that you enjoy. I believe that one flourishes the best and does the best work in an environment that compliments one's personality.

Name: Charles Di Leva

Position: Lead Counsel, World Bank

Educaiton: B.A., University of Rhode Island; J.D., Vermont Law School

1. How does your present work involve issues of international environmental law?
   
   I am involved in advising and working on environmental issues for World Bank projects in all of the regions in which the Bank works.
   
   
2. Which aspects of international environmental law practice do you find the most interesting, and which do you consider the most difficult?
   
   I find all aspects of international environmental law interesting, and the most difficult is ensuring that the activities we engage in produce the sustainable results that are desired by all parties engaged.
   
   
3. What training and/or previous experience do you consider to have been helpful to your ability to effectively analyze and solve problems in this field?
   
   I had intensive and broad environmental experience at the local and national level before entering into the international field. Before coming to work here I lived and worked in Africa.
   
   
4. Within the field, what issues or areas do you expect to pose the most significant challenges for policymakers, industry, and NGOs in the year 2000 and beyond?
   
   Trying to ensure that legal and institutional changes are successful, given the difficulty in finding funds for this work, as well as the competing pressures of development.
   
   
5. What words of encouragement or counsel would you offer to students of environmental law or to young environmental law practitioners interested in working in the area of international environmental law?
   
   Spend time abroad, see as many different types of environments as you can, and never think that your model of law and development is the only one.