Fons de Defensa Ambiental

Environmental legal services

Fons de Defensa Ambiental (FDA) is a Barcelona-based nonprofit association specializing in environmental law. It has operated since September 2004 and was entered in the Barcelona Association Registry on January 17, 2005. Its Spanish tax identification number is G63686794.

Services

• Environmental legal advice.
• Legal representation before government agencies and in courts and tribunals.
• Drafting environmental rules, including international agreements, laws, regulations, and ordinances.
• Drafting agreements and contracts between private parties and with government agencies.
• Preparing reports and studies and publishing materials.
• Organizing customized courses for organizations and public agencies.

Who it serves

FDA serves environmental, ecological, conservation, and animal-protection organizations; nonprofit social organizations working to protect the environment; individuals engaged in the same work; universities conducting environmental-protection studies; and public agencies.

Fees

The published fee schedule lists €60 per hour for visits. Fees for administrative and court proceedings are assessed case by case.

Training and publications

Since 2018, FDA has organized training sessions on environmental legal advocacy with the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Law, with support from DEPANA and the Barcelona City Council. Its publications include the Guide to Public Participation in Environmental Matters and the Guide to Strategic Environmental Litigation, the latter produced with the Human Rights Institute of Catalonia.

Team

The association is led by a seven-member team with environmental-law experience. Its president is Mònica López Escardívol, who holds a master's degree in environmental law and is an attorney for Barcelona City Council. The other board members are Àlex Peñalver i Cabré (secretary), Lluís-Xavier Toldrà i Bastida (treasurer), Francesc Espinal Trias, Mar Aguilera Vaqués, and Sonia Lozano Goldberger (board members). Cristina Genescà Martell and Meritxell Cotrina Jové are listed as legal advisers.

Contact

Address: 97 Sant Salvador Street, ground floor, 08024 Barcelona, Spain. Phone: +34 629 920 745. Email: fda@fonsdefensaambiental.org. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.