[{"jcr:title":"How Latin America helped shape International Environmental Law","cq:tags_0":"tipos-de-conteudo:pesquisa-na-graduação","cq:tags_1":"area-de-conhecimento:direito"},{"richText":"Undergraduate research revisits the region’s leadership in negotiations ranging from Stockholm to Rio-92","authorDate":"17/03/2026 14h00","madeBy":"Por","tag":"tipos-de-conteudo:pesquisa-na-graduação","title":"How Latin America helped shape International Environmental Law","variant":"imagecolor"},{"jcr:title":"transparente - turquesa - vermelho"},{"themeName":"transparente - turquesa - vermelho"},{"containerType":"containerTwo"},{"jcr:title":"Grid Container Section","layout":"responsiveGrid"},{"text":"Between Stockholm and Rio-92, between the defense of national sovereignty and calls for international cooperation, Latin America helped write — not merely sign — key chapters of International Environmental Law. This is the main conclusion of the undergraduate research project “The Global South and the Environment: what was Latin America’s role in the construction of International Environmental Law?”, developed by Cailane dos Santos Gonçalves, a Law student at Insper, under the supervision of Professor Pedro Jimenez Cantisano. The study was conducted in partnership with Paula Anequini, also a Law student. According to Professor Pedro, both students first reviewed the existing literature and then divided the research tasks: “They both read the literature on the topic, and then we split the work so that Cailane analyzed documents from the UN archives while Paula analyzed interviews conducted with Brazilian diplomats,” he explains. The combination of primary sources and interviews helped support the study’s central argument: Latin American engagement was consistent and strategic in shaping an international environmental agenda that did not separate environmental protection from the right to development. From scholarship to UN archives Cailane, 21, began the research in August 2024 and completed the report in September 2025 as part of the PIBIC programme. For her, the project offered direct exposure to academic life. “I already wanted to conduct research; I wanted to understand how academia works,” she says. The topic, she notes, also stood out for diverging from more conventional paths: “International Environmental Law seemed like a very interesting subject. Even though it’s environmental, the international dimension involves the entire world.” Her personal trajectory helps illustrate the significance of the experience. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Cailane moved to São Paulo to study at Insper, where she is a scholarship student. She will be the first lawyer in her family — a milestone that makes her participation in a research project focused on global debates even more meaningful. Through extensive reading, deadlines, and presentations, she says the undergraduate research experience also allowed her to explore different paths before defining her professional direction. Today, she says she is more inclined toward a legal career in private practice, but considers the experience a decisive part of her education The study began with a direct question: did Latin America only react belatedly to environmental debates, or did it play a historical leadership role? To answer this, Cailane analyzed records and minutes from ECOSOC (1969–1972), delegation working papers, and documents related to the Stockholm Conference (1972), considered in the report as a milestone in modern International Environmental Law. The research proposes a temporal distinction between the pre-1972 period — more fragmented and “individualized” — and the post-1972 period, when the agenda became consolidated as a global issue and expanded through multilateral treaties. “We observed a clear difference between the pre-1972 and post-1972 periods. Before, countries acted more independently; after 1972, they began to develop mechanisms and multilateral treaties and to approach the issue collectively,” she summarizes. Environment and development as a combined agenda By reconstructing the debates, the study shows that the region’s leadership went beyond participation in conferences: it appeared in concrete positions, particularly in the defense of sovereignty over natural resources and in the critique of the idea that environmental agendas should impose uniform constraints on the growth of developing countries. “The conclusion was that Latin America did play a leading role in meetings and assemblies, especially at the Stockholm Conference. The region maintained a firm position and presented proposals,” says Cailane. “At the same time, Latin American countries also argued that they need to industrialize and grow economically, since other regions developed earlier.” According to Professor Pedro, this is precisely where the main contribution of Cailane’s work in the UN archives lies. “Her main contribution was to verify, through UN documents, some of the hypotheses raised about the participation of Latin American countries,” he explains. He highlights what he considers the most robust finding: “The key conclusion, supported by the documents, is that these countries have historically defended environmental protection without neglecting their right to development.” In other words, the region advocated an agenda that links environmental preservation with addressing social challenges. “These countries defended an agenda that accommodates the need for development as a way to tackle issues such as poverty,” he adds. Pedro also emphasizes the contrast with positions seen in parts of international negotiations. “Some wealthy countries call for absolute environmental protection, even at the expense of economic growth,” he notes. In his view, Latin American countries “cannot address environmental issues without linking them to the efficient use of resources to promote growth and distribute wealth.” The study shows how this perspective consistently appeared in discussions during the period and helps explain why issues such as financing, technology transfer, and North–South inequalities remain central in contemporary environmental debates. The path to these conclusions involved practical challenges, especially related to language and the technical nature of the sources. “An important difficulty was the language: the documents were in English, and they were also conference materials with more technical language, which requires more time to understand and analyze,” says Cailane. At the same time, she notes that the process strengthened skills she already applies in internships. “Professor Pedro taught me how to identify what is essential and to write more concisely without losing important content,” she says. “This skill has helped me in internships, because lawyers need objective information and don’t have time to read long documents.” For the supervisor, this is one of the project’s most valuable outcomes. “This type of project allowed Cailane and Paula to develop skills in selecting and interpreting documents that are important to the history of International Law,” says Professor Pedro. He also highlights another benefit that is not always present in traditional legal education: “an opportunity to look at the law critically and to understand the power dynamics behind the construction of the international legal order.” Ultimately, the study serves as an important reminder: the history of global environmental governance is also shaped by Latin American perspectives and actions, with proposals and positions that helped define what could be negotiated. And for those still unsure about engaging in academic research, Cailane offers direct encouragement: “Undergraduate research is a unique experience that universities can offer and that is hard to find elsewhere.” She concludes: “Even if you’re unfamiliar with the topic, it’s worth taking the leap. I learned a lot and discovered important things.”"}]