Symposium 'Towards a Legal System in Harmony and Peace with Nature' - Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (18-19 December 2023)

 

Symposium
hosted by ICEL, UC3M and UVigo
Towards a Legal System in Harmony and Peace with Nature
(Hacia un Sistema Jurídico en Armonía y Paz con la Naturaleza)

Hybrid (in-person in Madrid & via webinar)
18-19 December 2023
Venue: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Campus Puerta de Toledo: Salón de Grados (Ronda de Toledo, 1 – 28.005-Madrid) 

 

Este Simposio, titulado Hacia un Sistema Jurídico en Armonía y Paz con la Naturaleza, tendrá lugar los días 18 y 19 de diciembre de manera híbrida: en persona, en el Salón de Grados del Campus Puerta de Toledo de la UC3M (Salón de Grados, Ronda de Toledo, 1, Madrid), y vía webinar. El Simposio está organizado conjuntamente por ICEL (Consejo Internacional de Derecho Ambiental), la UC3M y UVigo (Universidad de Vigo), teniendo como Partners a prestigiosas entidades: el Instituto Judicial Mundial para el Medio Ambiente; el Programa de las NU para el Medio Ambiente (PNUMA-División Jurídica); la Comisión Mundial de Derecho Ambiental de la Uníón International para la Conservación de la Naturaleza; y la Asociación Mundial de Juristas.
El evento gira en torno a dos grandes temas: de un lado, la capacidad transformadora del Derecho, y, de otro lado, el papel de los mecanismos jurisdiccionales y cuasi-jurisdiccionales para la protección de la naturaleza. A su vez, a través de diversos paneles se irán abordando variados elementos clave y desarrollos recientes por expertas/os, entre otros: los avances en materia del Estado de Derecho Ambiental y en determinados ámbitos sometidos actualmente a intenso debate (ej. derechos de la naturaleza, ecocidio, etc.); desafíos y respuestas jurídicas en relación con los refugiados a causa de la degradación ambiental; progresos en materia de justicia climática; o también en relación con la responsabilidad de las empresas en materia ambiental. Asimismo, se contará con una pieza musical, Tempest of Climate, compuesta para la ocasión e interpretada por el Maestro Chiya Amos (representante de ICEL para la Música y la Cultura en beneficio del Medio Ambiente). Por último, el evento se cerrará con un Homenaje al prof. Luciano Parejo, catedrático emérito de la UC3M, al que ICEL ha reconocido como Persona Clave por su Contribución al Derecho Ambiental y al que, en consecuencia, otorga su Premio y rinde Tributo (19 de diciembre, de 13:00 a 14:00 CET).
El Simposio reúne primordialmente a académicos, operadores jurídicos y representantes de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, formando parte de las actividades realizadas en el marco del Proyecto coordinado PaxNatura entre las Universidades Carlos III de Madrid (IPs: Montserrat Castelo y Joaquín Alcaide) y Vigo (IP: Laura Carballo) concedido por el Ministerio español de Ciencia e Innovación. Este evento cuenta además con subvenciones concedidas por el Decanato de la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Jurídicas y el Vicerrectorado de Investigación y transferencia de la UC3M.
Solo quienes deseen asistir en persona al evento (uno de los días o ambos) deben inscribirse a través del link incluido en el programa del evento. Quienes deseen asistir online podrán seguir la retransmisión a través del canal de YouTube de la UC3M (y eventualmente participar vía chat) utilizando los links también incluidos en el programa.

This Symposium, entitled Towards a Legal System in Harmony and Peace with Nature, will be held on December 18 and 19 in a hybrid manner: in person, in the UC3M’s Puerta de Toledo Campus (Salón de Grados, Ronda de Toledo, 1, Madrid), and via webinar. The Symposium is jointly organized by ICEL (International Council on Environmental Law), UC3M, and UVigo (University of Vigo), with prestigious Partners: the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment (GJIE); the UNEP’s Legal Division; the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL); and the World Jurist Association (WJA).  
The event revolves around two major themes: on the one hand, the transformative capacity of Law, and, on the other hand, the role of jurisdictional and quasi-jurisdictional mechanisms for the protection of nature. In turn, diverse key elements and recent developments will be addressed by experts through varied panels, among others: advances in the Environmental Rule of Law and certain specific hot issues (e.g. rights of nature, ecocide, etc.); legal challenges and potential solutions concerning environmental refugees; progress on climate justice; or liability of companies in environmental matters. In addition, there will be a musical piece, Tempest of Climate, composed for the occasion and performed by Maestro Chiya Amos (ICEL representative for Music & Culture for the Environment). Last, but not least, the event will be closed with an Award Ceremony to honor Prof. Luciano Parejo, emeritus professor at UC3M. ICEL has formally recognized him as a Key Person for his Contribution to Environmental Law, and consequently awards its Prize and pays Tribute to him (December 19, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CET).
This event convenes academics, legal practitioners and civil society leaders in the framework of the PaxNatura Research Project coordinated between the University Carlos III of Madrid (PIs: Montserrad Abad and Joaquín Alcaide) and the University of Vigo (PI: Laura Carballo), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ref.: PID2022-1424842022). The symposium has been funded as well by the UC3M’s School of Law and Social Sciences & Vice-Rectorate for Research and Transfer.
Only those who wish to attend in person (just one or both days) must register through the link included in the program. Those who wish to attend online (and eventually participate via chat) can follow the links also included in the program, without previous registration, since the event will be streamed live on the UC3M YouTube channel.

Agenda

December 18, Monday
TRANSFORMATIVE CAPACITY OF LAW 

Morning

∎ 8:50 am CET – Participants assemble at UC3M’s Puerta de Toledo Campus (Salón de Grados).

∎ 9:00 am CET – OPENING SESSION: WELCOMING REMARKS
⮚ Chaired by Prof. Rosa Rodríguez, Dean of the School of Law and Social Sciences and Full of Finance, UC3M.
- Justice Antonio H. Benjamin, Chancellor of ICEL; President of the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment; Chair Emeritus of the World Commission on Environmental Law; Justice of the National High Court of Brazil – STJ (online).
- Ms. Encarnación Roca Trías, Vice-President Emeritus of the Spanish Constitutional Court; Partner at Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo Abogados.
- Prof. Christina Voigt, Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law; Co-chair of the Paris Agreement Implementation and Compliance Committee; Full Professor of Public international law, University of Oslo, Norway (online).
- Prof. Montserrat Abad Castelos, Full Professor of Public International Law at UC3M; Co-director of the ICEL’s International Secretariat; Co-Principal investigator of the Project Making Peace with Nature and Making Nature a Key for Peace [PaxNatura, Part I]) & Prof. Laura Carballo Piñeiro, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations and Full Professor of Private International Law at University of Vigo, Spain; Co-Principal investigator of the Project Making Justice to Make Peace with Nature: The Judicialization and other Forms of Jurisdictional and Institutional Protection of Nature [PaxNatura, Part II]).

∎ 9:30 am CET – PANEL I: STRENGTHENING ENVIRONMENTAL RULE OF LAW
⮚ Moderated discussion – Chaired by Prof. Angel Manuel Moreno Molina, Full Professor of Administrative Law, UC3M.
⮚ Topics / speakers:
- Updates to the UNEP Environmental Rule of Law report – roles for civil society, public interest lawyers, and courts, Prof. Patricia Kameri-Mbote, UNEP, Director, Law Division; Full Professor, School of Law, University of Nairobi, Kenya (online).
- Rule of Law as a Pre-requisite for Peace, Mr. Diego Solana, International Advisor of the World Law Foundation; Partner at Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo Abogados, Spain.
- Rule of Law and Environmental Rights, Mr. Antonio Lucio, Head of Governance, CONAMA (Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente), Spain.
- Prevention and Precaution as Legal Principles, Dr. Triantafyllos Gkouvas, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Legal Philosophy, UC3M. 

∎ 10:30 – 11:00 am CET: COFFEE BREAK

∎ 11:00 am CET – PANEL II:  BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORKS AND CONCEPTUAL INNOVATIONS IN ECOLOGICAL LAW  
⮚ Moderated discussion – Chaired by Prof. Carlos Moreiro, Director of the Master on European Union Studies and Full Professor of Public international law, UC3M.
⮚ Topics / speakers:
- Rights of Nature & Harmony with Nature, Dr. Digno Montalván, Post-doctoral Researcher UC3M.
- Implementing Biodiversity Targets for 2030: Legal Steps in the European Union's Framework, Prof. Juan-Cruz Allí Turrillas, Full Professor of Administrative Law at UNED, Spain.
- Indigenous visions on nature/law: Mother Earth and Interdependency, Dr. Lieselotte Viaene, Senior Lecturer, UC3M; Principal Investigator ERC research project RIVERS.
- Laws for Implementing Protection of the Oceans in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), Dr. Otto Spijkers, Assistant Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam School of Law, Netherlands (online). 

∎ 12:00 pm CET – MUSICAL PIECE: Tempest of Climate, played and conducted by Maestro Chiya Amos, Permanent Conductor and Advisor of the Hirodai Symphony Orchestra, Research Fellow (Sustainability Science) at Hiroshima University, Japan; ICEL Representative for Music & Culture for the Environment (online).
Opening remarks by Prof. Koh Kheng Lian, Emeritus Professor Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore; Member of the ICEL Board of Governors; Former Director of APCEL (online).

∎ 12:20 pm CET – PANEL III: EXPANDING LEGAL FRAMEWORKS AND POLICIES AROUND NATURE, SECURITY, CONFLICTS AND PEACE
⮚ Moderated discussion – Chaired by Dr. Andrés De Castro, Deputy Director of the Gutiérrez Mellado Institute; Coordinator of the Master on Peace, Security and Defense Challenges; Senior Lecturer of Political Science, UNED.
⮚ Topics / speakers:
- ILC Principles on protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts (PERAC), Prof. Concepción Escobar Hernández, Full Professor of Public International Law, UNED; Director of the Center of Studies of IHL, Spanish Red Cross; Former member and Special Rapporteur of the UN International Law Commission; Former Head of the International Law Department of the Spanish MFA.
- Protected Areas, Prof. Joaquín Alcaide Fernández, Full Professor of Public international law, University of Sevilla, Spain; Director of the Revista Española de Derecho Internacional; Co-Principal Inv. of the Project Making Peace with Nature and Making Nature a Key for Peace [PaxNature, Part I]).
- Ecocide – Crimes against Nature, Dr. Thomas Obel Hansen, Maria Zambrano Distinguished Researcher, UC3M / Associate Professor in International Law at Ulster University’s Transitional Justice Institute, UK (on leave).
- Climate change and NATO’s strategic concept of Cooperative Security, Dr. Alvaro Jarillo Aldeanueva, Senior Lecturer of Public international law, UNED, Spain.

∎ 13:20 pm CET: LUNCH served at the building’s main restaurant: “La Cantina” (speakers & attendees invited)

Afternoon

∎ 14:30 pm CET – PANEL IV: ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES’ NEEDS: MAIN LEGAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD
⮚ Moderated discussion – Chaired by Dr. Carmen Pérez González, Vice-Dean for International Relations, Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences, UC3M; Associate Professor of Public International Law at UC3M (accred. as Full Professor); UNESCO Chair “Education Linkage through International Sports” (ELIS).
⮚ Topics / speakers:
- Climate change and non-refoulement, Dr. Susana Borrás Pentinat, Associate Professor of International public law and International Relations; Coordinator of the PhD Programme in Law Research Group “Territory, Citizenship and Sustainability” /CEDAT Institute for Research in Sustainability, Climate Change and Energy Transition (IU-RESCAT), Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain.
- Environmental degradation and displacements in Latin America: towards a new customary rule?, Dr. Justo Corti Varela, Associate Professor of Public international Law, UNED; Principal Investigator–Jean Monnet Action on European Climate Change Law, Spain.
- Climate refugees and humanitarian action, Mr. Gonzalo Sánchez-Terán, Deputy Director of Humanitarian Programmes of the Center for Humanitarian Cooperation, Fordham University, New York, USA.
- The EU response to the displacements from Sahel, Dr. Gloria Fernández Arribas, Associate Professor of Public International Law, Universidad Pablo Olavide; Principal Investigator–Proyecto FEDER Climate Change and Displacements in the Sahel, Junta de Andalucía, Spain.
- Women and Girls in International and Internal Displacement caused by Environmental Degradation: Some Challenges and Responses at the UN level, Dr. Ruth Abril Stoffels, Associate Professor of Public International Law and Director of the Equality Unit, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, Valencia, Spain.                         
- Artificial Intelligence and Refugee Law: Exploring the Benefits and Risks of AI in the Face of Climate Change and Environmental Damage, Mr. Javier Jaramillo, Trustee of the World Law Foundation, Lawyer and Manager at Pro-Corp.

∎ 15:50 pm CET – VIEWS FROM SENIOR ICEL LEADERS & ASSOCIATES ON THE TRANSFORMATIVE CAPACITY OF LAW
⮚ Presented by Dr. Ana Martín Beringola, PhD Ulster University, UK; Lecturer in Law, UNIR, Spain.
⮚ Speakers:  
- Environmental Rule of Law, Prof. Eckard Rehbinder, Emeritus Professor, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Member of the ICEL Board of Governors.
- The UNGA Right to the Environment and National Constitutional rights to the environment, Dr. Victor Tafur, Adjunct Professor at Pace University, NY, USA; Chief Administrative Officer; ICEL’s Representative before the United Nations (online).

∎ 16:15 pm CET – CLOSURE

December 19, Tuesday
THE ROLE OF JURISDICTIONAL AND
QUASI-JURISDICTIONAL MECHANISMS IN PROTECTING NATURE

Morning

∎ 9:00am CET – PANEL I: SHAPING RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
⮚ Moderated discussion – Chaired by Dr. Alberto Iglesias, Senior Lecturer of Public international law and International Relation at CUNEF, Sustainability and Public Law Department. ⮚ Topics / speakers:
- Vulnerability and adaptation: An approach from Administrative Law, Dr. Isabel Hernández San Juan, Senior Lecturer of Administrative Law, UC3M.
- Multisensorialidad del paisaje y defensa cruzada de bienes jurídicos protegidos, Prof. Roberto Orlando Bustillo Bolado, Full Professor of Administrative Law, University of Vigo.
- Spanish Courts and Environmental Crimes in Antarctica, Dr. Marta Sobrido Prieto, Associate Professor of Public international law, University of A Coruña.
- Eficiencia y cohesión en el ecosistema urbano: impacto en la salud psicosocial, Ms. Paula Gamallo Carballide, Pre-doctoral student funded by the Xunta de Galicia, University of Vigo.

∎ 9:50 am CET – PANEL II: FIGHTING FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
⮚ Moderated discussion – Chaired by Ms. Ana Barreira, founder and Director General of the International Institute of Law and Environment, Spain.
⮚ Topics / speakers:
- Strategic litigation before international tribunals: Approach definition & meaning, Ms. Claudia Pérez Zapico, Doctoral Researcher in Public International Law, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM).
- Admisibility conditions of climate claims in the field of regional and universal systems of human rights protection, Dr. Enrique J. Martínez Pérez, Associate Professor of Public International Law, University of Valladolid, Spain.
- The UN International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: where are we?, Dr. Laura Movilla Pateiro, Phd Senior Lecturer of Public International law, UVigo, Spain.
- The role of non-(strictly) state interventions before the ICJ in the advisory opinion on States' climate change obligations, Prof. Francesco Sindico, Full Professor of International Environmental Law, Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance, UK; Director of the Climate Change Legal Initiative (C2LI); Co-Chair of the IUCN WCEL Climate Change Law Specialist Group.
- ICJ Advisory Opinions: Use and implementation, limitations and challenges, Mr. Edgardo Sobenes, Adv. LL.M., Msc, International lawyer.  

∎ 11:00 – 11:20 am CET: COFFEE BREAK

∎ 11:20 am CET – PANEL III: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DEVELOPMENTS
⮚ Moderated discussion – Chaired by Dr. David Ramos Muñoz, Co-Director of the Master on International Advocacy and Associate Professor of Trade law, UC3M.
⮚ Topics / speakers:
- Environmental Measures for Environmental Supply Chain Management, Dr. Chiara Marullo, Phd Lecturer of Private international law, University Jaume I, Spain; Deputy Coord. of REDHEXATA.
- Some Reflections on the Civil Liability Provision of the EU Directive on Due Diligence. Any Improvement (Expected) for Climate Change Litigation and nature Protection?, Dr. Laura García Álvarez, Senior Lecturer of Private international Law, University of Pablo de Olavide, Spain.
- Environmental clauses in international investment treaties, Prof. Carmen Otero García-Castrillón, Full Professor of Private international law, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Spain.
- Environmental corporate responsibility: Practices in the Aviation industry, Dr. Teresa Parejo, Director of Sustainability, Iberia.  

∎ 12:15 pm CET – VIEWS FROM SENIOR ICEL LEADERS ON THE ROLE OF JURISDICTIONAL AND QUASI JURISDICTIONAL MECHANISMS IN PROTECTING NATURE
⮚ Presented by Ms. María Corres Illera, Adjunct Professor of Public international law (UC3M).
⮚ Speakers:
- “Planetary judges” and the protection of nature, Justice Antonio H. Benjamin, Chancellor of ICEL; President of the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment; Chair Emeritus of the World Commission on Environmental Law; Justice of the National High Court of Brazil – STJ (online).
- Reflections on the follow up to the 2021 German Constitutional Court’s climate ruling on intra- and inter-generational equity, Mr. Reinhard Krapp, Minister and Diplomat -retired- Germany; Attorney-at-Law; Member of the ICEL Board of Governors (online).

∎ 12:45 am CET – RAPPORTEURSHIP OF THE SYMPOSIUM’S MAJOR THEMES
⮚ Speakers: Prof. Montserrat Abad Castelos and Prof. Laura Carballo Piñeiro.
⮚ Topics:
- Legal Conceptual Developments – the transformative power of law to protect nature and sustain human civilization:
- Leadership from civil society, companies, courts, and lawyers in transformative steps to protect nature. 

∎ 13:00 pm CET – ICEL AWARD CEREMONY – HONORING KEY INDIVIDUALS / ENTREGA DE PREMIO POR ICEL – TRIBUTO A PERSONAS CLAVE
⮚ Persona homenajeada / Honored Person: Prof. Dr. Luciano Parejo, Catedrático Emérito de Derecho Administrativo de la UC3M /Emeritus Professor of Administrative Law, UC3M.
⮚ Presentado por/presented by Dr. Antonio Descalzo, Director del Instituto Pascual Madoz, UC3M,. Profesor titular de Derecho Administrativo / Director of the Pascual Madoz Institute, UC3M, Associate Professor of Administrative Law, UC3M.
-  Discursos de apertura /Opening Keynotes: Justice Antonio H. Benjamin (online) & Prof. Nicholas A. Robinson, Executive President of ICEL; Chair Emeritus of the WCEL; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pace, NY, USA (online).
- Semblanza del prof. Luciano Parejo y su contribución al Derecho Ambiental / Portrait of Prof. Luciano Parejo and of his contribution to Environmental law, Prof. Angel Manuel Moreno Molina, Full Professor of Administrative Law, UC3M.
-  Discurso de Aceptación/Acceptance Speech: Prof. Luciano Parejo.

∎ 14:00 am CET – CLOSING REMARKS: Justice Antonio H. Benjamin & Prof. Nicholas A. Robinson.

Partners:  Global Judicial Institute on the Environment (GJIE)  –  United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)  –  World Commission on Environmental Law (IUCN-WCEL)    –     World Jurist Association (WJA).

Supporting Universities:  University of A Coruña  –  UNED –  University Pablo Olavide  –  Universiti Rovira I Virgili  – University of Sevilla.

Supporting external entities: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación and EU Regional Development Fund in the framework of PaxNatura Project.

Within the UC3M, this symposium is supported by the Decanato of the School of Law and Social Sciences (Convocatoria 2023 de ayudas para la organización de congresos y reuniones cinetíficas); the Vice-Rectorate for Research and Transfer (idem); the Department of International Law, Ecclesiastical Law and Philosophy of Law;  the Pascual Madoz Institute; and the Francisco de Vitoria Institute.

∎ Scientific Committee: Prof. Nicolas Robinson (President); Justice Antonio H. Benjamin; Prof. Koh Kheng Lian; Mr. Reinhard Krapp; Prof. Patricia Kameri-Mbote; Prof. Eckard Rehbinder; Prof. Christina Voigt.

∎ Organizing Committee: Prof. Montserrat Abad Castelos, Prof. Joaquín Alcaide Fernández and Prof. Laura Carballo Piñeiro (Dir.). Prof. Juan-Cruz Allí, Dr. Susana Borrás Pentinat, Dr. Thomas Obel Hansen, Dr. Marta Sobrido Prieto and Dr. Lieselotte Viaene (Pax Natura I Academic Coord.); Dr. María Antonia Arias Martínez, Prof. Roberto O. Bustillo Bolado, Dr. Laura García Álvarez, Prof. Miguel A. Michinel Álvarez, Dr. Laura Movilla Pateiro, and Dr. Rafael Velázquez (Pax Natura II Academic Coord.). Dr. Antonio Descalzo (ICEL Award Ceremony Academic Coord.).
Dr. Teresa Parejo (Enterprise Coordinator). Dr. Victor Tafur (Chief Administration Officer). Dr. Isabel Hernández San Juan (Social Networks Coordinator). Ms. Esther Torrecilla (Administrative Officer). Mr. Xoan Molares (ICEL Website Manager).