LAWASIA Environmental Law Conference in the Pacific

LAWASIA invites members to submit a proposal to speak at the upcoming LAWASIA Environmental Law Conference taking place in Fiji from 3 to 4 April 2020. Proposals must correspond to both the conference theme and one of the conference session topics.

Please review the conference programme for an overview of the topics.

Conference theme: “The tide is high; the time is nigh” – climate change and the Pacific

Please note that your expression of interest must include:

Session details:

• name of session – refer to conference programme;
• presentation abstract (300 word limit), fully summarising the content focus of your presentation

Speaker credentials:

• full name and contact details
• brief professional biography indicating relevant experience
• where will we find further information about you?  Please share links to any social media accounts, videos, recorded presentations, published articles and/or testimonials

Deadline for submission: Friday, 8 November 2019

Please send your submission via email to: [email protected]

Note: All speakers must be able to cover their own registration, accommodation and travel costs

CONFERENCE SESSION TOPICS
Proposals may be submitted under one of the following session topics:

SESSION 1 – Consequences of Climate Change

1. Climate-induced displacement with dignity, both within and outside of affected countries
2. Impacts of climate change on culture particularly language in the Torres Strait Islands
3. Impact of climate change on constitutional and human rights
4. Water scarcity and water justice

SESSION 2 – Promoting action on Climate Change

1. ‘Rising Up’ focusing on the ground swell of communities and youth movements and considering their legal impacts
2. Role of the media – how communication and reporting on climate change and its impacts can shape public perceptions, opinions, and action
3. Legal Strategies to Expand Community Based Governance in Climate Change Adaptation: Lessons from the Pacific Islands
4. Disaster preparedness and disaster management

SESSION 3 – Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Development

1. Sustainable, resilient and inclusive development: What is it? How to achieve it, including environmental impact assessment?
2. Financing sustainable, resilient, and inclusive infrastructure: the role of multilateral financial institutions (such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank)
3. Legal and regulatory barriers to accessing climate finance
4. Criteria for allocation of climate financing: How to allocate funding? How to access funding?

SESSION 4 – Ocean Governance, protecting the Pacific Ocean

1. From marine protected areas to marine spatial planning: how legal tools are responding to complex ocean challenges
2. Ecosystem-based Marine Spatial Planning in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: Achievements and Challenges
3. Towards a Sustainable Ocean Governance Framework:  A Need for a National Ocean Policy in Chile

SESSION 5 – Protecting and Managing Marine Resources

1. Can’t see the (mangrove) forest for the trees: legal and policy recognition of mangrove and wetland ecosystem services in Australia
2. Evaluation of the international, regional and domestic legal arrangements to protect seabirds in the Pacific region
3. Protecting the marine ecosystem, law of the sea and international marine environmental law
4. The importance of regional cooperation between Pacific Island Countries for efficient fisheries management

SESSION 6 – The role of the judiciary

1. The Environmental Rule of Law: ready access to Courts, specialist or otherwise
2. The role of judiciaries in advancing environmental (including climate) justice
3. The role of public interest environmental litigation in advancing climate justice