The Fund honors J. William “Bill” Futrell’s career-long dedication to conservation and recognizes his 23 years of achievement as ELI President concluding in 2003. Under Bill Futrell’s direction, ELI became a global leader protecting our environment through law, policy and management. Bill Futrell engaged an extensive network of environmental professionals throughout the world, making ELI a leading presence in global discussions of sustainable development, for example at the Rio Earth Summit (1992) and the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002). Futrell Scholars carry on Bill’s dedication to sustainable development.
“Together we’re building the idea base, the ethical and moral standards that will govern humanity’s use of the environment for the long term. We’re expanding consciousness of environmental law and of its greatest achievement: the codification of a change in ethics, a recognition that government and individual responsibility extend to the natural world.”
— J. William Futrell, ELI President, 1980-2003
Past Futrell Scholars include:
- Professor Charles Okidi, Institute for Development Studies and Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi, Kenya
- M.S. Vani, Law and Development Expert, Development Centre for Alternative Policies
- Sebastian Albuja, Ecuador
- Professor M.K. Ramesh, National Law School of India University, Bangalore, India
- Dr. Mishkat Al Moumin, former Minister of Environment
In addition to these five Futrell Visiting Scholars, ELI has hosted more than 70 Visiting Scholars from 30 countries.