Tribute to our founder
Guillermo J. Cano

Dr. Gullermo J. Cano, the founder of our organization, passed away last 30 October 2003.

Born in Mendoza exactly 90 years ago, Dr. Cano was a tireless researcher and writer on the laws of natural resources in general and on waters in particular, given the importance of this problem for his home province to which he always felt very attached. This dedication helped him to become the only Argentine, and one of a handful of Latin Americans, to attend the 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment held in Stockholm. This meeting was emblematic of the birth on the international stage of this new speciality: Environmental Law.

During his long professional life he was Secretary of State for Water Resources of the Nation, Ambassador in Japan and Yugoslavia, an expert in the United Nations, a Consultant in the FAO, Professor at the universities of Cuyo, La Plata, Católica de Buenos Aires, El Salvador, Delft (Holland) and Buenos Aires, President of the International Water Resources Association (Washington), Honorary President of the International Association for Water Law (Rome), President of the Inter-American Commission on Environmental Law and Regional Governor of the International Environmental Law Council (Bonn). He was a member of the National Academy of Moral and Political Sciences and the Academy of Social Sciences of Mendoza. He was honored with the Mitre Prize (2nd) for Social Law and Science (1935), National Commission of Culture Award for the Cuyo Region, Scientific Section (1944), Provincias Unidas Prize, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (1977), Elizabeth Haub Prize, for his contributions to the field of Environmental Law, Free University of Brussels (1978), Accésit to the National Law Award (1976-79) and was Doctor Honoris Causa, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (1991).

Under his direction, publication began in 1978 of the series of the Revista de Derecho, Política y Administración Ambiente y Recursos Naturales", and he lay the foundations for the non-governmental organization he created with the name of Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, which began its legal and public activities in 1987. He was Executive Director until the end of 1992 and during his mandate, he was able to transmit his love for the subject and his solid knowledge to the new young lawyers who were taking their first steps in the profession in our country. Although still very young this branch of law certainly found in Dr Cano one of its leading precursors both nationally and internationally.