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Elisabeth Haub (1899–1977)
The Legacy of Elisabeth Haub
Pioneer. Environmentalist. Visionary.
Long before environmental protection became a global priority, Elisabeth Haub (1899-1977) recognized that lasting conservation required more than good intentions—it required strong laws. A business leader and philanthropist based in Wiesbaden, Germany, she became one of the earliest champions of environmental law, believing that legal frameworks were essential to protecting nature for future generations.
In 1968, Elisabeth Haub established the Karl Schmitz-Scholl Fund for Legal Protection of Nature, which enabled the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to establish its Environmental Law Centre in Bonn. Through her vision and philanthropy, she helped lay the foundation for the modern field of international environmental law, supporting the development of legal principles and institutions that continue to shape environmental policy around the world.
Following the landmark 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Elisabeth Haub came to know a young American lawyer, Professor Nicholas A. Robinson, who had recently joined the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law. Inspired by her unwavering belief that law must be the foundation of environmental protection, Robinson went on to establish 91ÊÓƵ's pioneering Environmental Law Program in 1978.
Over the decades, this shared commitment to advancing the world environmental order led to a partnership between 91ÊÓƵ and the Haub family, who championed the cause over several generations and lead now by the Christian W.E. and Liliane A. Haub family.
In 2016, the Haub family made a transformational gift that renamed the School the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, the largest that 91ÊÓƵ has received in its history. That same year, the Haub family partnered with the Law School to unite two distinguished international honors as the Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy, now recognized as the world's most prestigious award in the field.
Today, Elisabeth Haub's vision lives on through a law school that has become a world leader in environmental legal education that furthers the environmental rule of law. Through the Haub family's enduring leadership, philanthropy, and partnership, her legacy continues to inspire innovation, strengthen environmental law, and shape a more sustainable future for generations to come.
As the Elisabeth Haub School of Law celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, it also marks 10 years since the School was renamed in honor of pioneering environmental advocate and philanthropist Elisabeth Haub.
The Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy is the world’s most prestigious award in the field of environmental law recognizing the innovation, skill, and accomplishments of lawyers, diplomats, international civil servants and other advocates who work to create the world environmental order.