Climate Law and Governance Day 2015 - Media Advisory

In Paris, on December 4th 2015, during the 21st Conference of the Parties of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Climate Law and Governance Day (CLGD) was inaugurated at the Ecole de Droit de La Sorbonne (Paris 1).  In this event, over 400 jurists, judges, experts, professors and law students participated in the preparatory events and in the Day, with more than 4000 more engaged online or over social media.

The importance of the Climate Law and Governance Day and its timeliness were underlined by Dr Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, Senior Director, Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) & Fellow, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law (LCIL), University of Cambridge: “Over 180 national climate actions plans are now registered as INDCs under the UNFCCC, with nearly all planning legal and institutional reforms. Well-designed treaties and laws, backed by good governance and local ownership, can make a massive difference on climate change. We are delighted to be inaugurating Climate Law and Governance Day, ‎with a consortium of world-leading partners, to galvanize the global rule of law, governance and justice community to respond to climate change.”

Dr. Oonagh Fitzgerald reiterated the key interactions between the Climate Law and Governance Day and the COP 21 by stating "The inaugural International Climate Law and Governance Day symposium provided a unique opportunity for international law scholars and practitioners to interact with leading observers of COP21 and discuss a wide range of emerging issues in climate change law and governance – from human rights and climate justice, to landscape renewal, clean technology transfer, and carbon border tax adjustments.”

During the morning opening plenary, following a warm welcome by Prof Yann Kerbrat, Co-Director, Research Institute for International and European Law (IREDIES), attending experts enjoyed very inspiring and historical keynote speeches from the Rt Hon Mary Robinson, President, Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice / former President of Ireland & Laureate, Right Livelihoods Award and Dr Ibrahim Thiaw, Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme. Among remarks of the highest caliber, the Rt Hon Mary Robinson outlined the importance of “Law as a transformative tool, with hope and courage, for climate justice”. Dr Ibrahim Thiaw chose to explore the linkages that enable laws to propel change when he concluded: “Sound laws, smart institutions, and the courage to enforce them.”

The keynote speech of the afternoon plenary was given in a clear, dynamic and humorous exposé by Prof John Knox, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment & Henry C. Lauerman Professor of International Law, Wake Forest University School of Law. Prof. John Knox connected COP 21 with his United Nations responsibilities when he declared “An increase of even 2 degrees would have devastating effects on the human rights of the most vulnerable. The Climate Vulnerable Forum countries’ proposed target of 1.5 degrees would better accord with human rights principles.”  

Kishan Khoday, Team Leader for Arab Region, United Nations Development Program noted that “to achieve real transformational change to achieve a zero carbon development pathway requires a shift in development thinking, and new innovative forms of governance‎. UNDP as the UNs largest provider of country assistance on climate change and on governance stands ready to support countries on their ambitious implementation agendas.”

The closing plenary included a very engaging keynote speech, with emphasis on landscape approaches, from Dr Peter Holmgren, Director-General, Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). Dr Holmgren was keen to share with the audience his conviction that “For difficult problems of how to link investors to smallholder farmers, we must embrace complexity and diversity”

Building on the success of the CLGD 2015, The Climate Law and Governance Day 2016 in Marrakech promises to be even bigger. All law and governance actors are invited to join us for that even that will be held in November 2016.

For more information or interview requests, please contact

•             Ayman Cherkaoui, Chief Communications Officer, CISDL, acherkaoui@cisdl.org, +212 667287292

•             Dr Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, Senior Director, CISDL, mcordonnier@cisdl.org, tel +44 7789 850 287

•             Prof Markus Gehring, Jean Monet Chair in Sustainable Development Law, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa & Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, mwg24@cam.ac.uk, tel +44 1223 767 233