At the Seventh Annual Colloquium at Wuhan University, China, the IUCN Academy and RIEL paid tribute to the memory of Professor Han Depei, a revered professor and the founder of environmental law in China.
At a special commemorative ceremony and tree-planting on November 2, 2009, the life and contributions of Professor Han Depei (1911-2009) were acknowledged on the opening day of the Seventh Annual Colloquium of the IUCN Academy. Professor Qin Tianbao of RIEL at Wuhan University and Professor Ben Boer of the University of Sydney and a visiting professor at Wuhan University shared in the tribute to Professor Han.
In remarks to more than 150 environmental law scholars from around the world, it was noted that Professor Han Depei was an environmental law scholar who enjoyed a worldwide influence. In addition to devoting himself to the study of environmental law, he laid the foundations for research and education in Chinese environmental law.
Professor Han Depei was a pioneer in establishing environmental law as an independent branch of law. He was one of the first people in China to recognize the importance of using legal instruments to prevent and control environmental problems. He was instrumental in establishing Wuhan University Research Institute of Environmental Law. RIEL was for many years the sole research institute in environmental law in China and Asia. He also established the Chinese Association of Environmental Law, whose purpose was to bring together all environmental law scholars and practitioners nation wide. His book, Textbook on Environmental Protection Law is the first and still the most important textbook in the field in China, and is now in its fifth edition.
His contribution to environmental law in China earned him numerous awards and titles, including the “Earth Prize” which is the highest and most honourable recognition for environmentalists in China.
The tree-planting in his honour took place just outside the Law School at Wuhan University, and was recognition by the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law of “the extraordinary contributions of this great scholar and teacher”