Aria

Last Spring, I had the opportunity to work on a Promise Institute Europe Pro Bono Project, led by Executive Director and UCLA Law Professor Kate Mackintosh. We were tasked with summarizing submissions gathered following the ICC Office of the Prosecutor's call for consultations on a new policy initiative to advance accountability for environmental crimes under the Rome Statute.

We worked with ICC Special Advisor Kevin Jon Heller and Appeals Counsel Reinhold Gallmetzer who drafted and edited the OTP’s policy paper to ensure that the summation of the comments fit with the overall mission.

My experience working on this project was invaluable - I gained real insights into the growing movement to criminalize severe environmental damage, made long lasting connections with those doing essential work in the international environmental law space, and bolstered my ability to utilize key legal tools for addressing environmental issues at a global scale.

I feel grateful to have access to such inspiring projects and colleagues through the Promise Institute and look forward to future collaborations advocating for international environmental justice. 

Read the article on Legal Planet

-Aria Burdon Dasbach

J.D. Candidate 2025