Claudia Ituarte-Lima

I am an international public lawyer and scholar with over two decades of experience at the intersection of human rights, biodiversity, and climate change law and policy. Holding an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from University College London, I work as Thematic Lead and Senior Researcher at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden and serve as Director of the Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment.

My work bridges legal analysis with sustainability science to address critical environmental and human rights governance challenges. Using participatory approaches, I ensure my research is both impactful for the communities I engage with and innovative in advancing knowledge on environmental justice and social-ecological dynamics. I have authored over 25 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, alongside more than 35 technical reports and policy briefs. My publications consolidate international human rights and gender equality standards within biodiversity, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and environmental human rights defenders contexts. Additionally, I have conducted empirical research at subnational levels, providing valuable localized insights. My research has been published in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Burmese, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese.

Together with partner organizations, I have designed and facilitated capacity-bridging initiatives with professionals across three continents: blended learning courses with judges, National Human Rights Institutions, public prosecutors and bar associations in Asia. In Latin America and the Caribbean, facilitating UNEP's Fifth Montevideo Environmental Law Programme Conference in Panama. In Africa, delivering workshops for UNEP and UNDP staff in Kenya. I have also contributed significantly to integrating human rights into the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) decisions. My proposals on human rights safeguards in biodiversity financing mechanisms were adopted by the CBD's 193 Parties. Furthermore, I have served as an expert in policy support tools for the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Committed to disseminating research insights broadly, my op-eds and articles have been featured in prominent platforms like The Conversation, the World Economic Forum, The Diplomat, and Inter Press Service News Agency. Living and working across Sweden, Mexico, Kenya, Japan, Canada, and the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon has enriched my understanding of diverse cultural and environmental contexts with unique skills to catalyze research and action with international scope while being contextually relevant.