International Symposium on Environmental Law 1/2

Report on the first day of the international symposium on peace with nature

September 2nd – Marseille – MUCEM

The conference opened with a presentation by the organisers and members of the Normandy Chair of Excellence for Peace. The first panel spoke about ecological law and ethical foundations. Klaus Bosselmann, Dr. Kathryn Gwiazdon, Patrick Blandin recalled the role of IUCN in the protection of living beings and ecological communities. The importance of ethical issues was strongly advocated by the panelists who hope to create common core values. Christophe Bourieau ended the session by presenting a book on environmental ethics for lawyers.

The second panel entitled “Artificial Intelligence: Giving Nature Autonomy and Stewardship” then began. David Freeston, Prof. Andrea Leiter and Rutger Van Zuidam presented technological developments that benefit the environment. New tools are now available to manage ecosystems and natural resources.

Then, the third panel spoke about legal indicators and the measurement of environmental duties. Michel Prieur recalled the importance of creating legal indicators to measure the effectiveness of environmental law (resolution 050 – IUCN). Christophe Bastin then took the floor to explain how to construct the measurement of effectiveness through two legal principles (make an inventory of the areas of application of environmental law and develop a legal questionnaire) and 7 mathematical principles. Finally, Umair Saleem recalled the environmental duties and the importance of respecting international standards.

Le dernier panel de la matinée présidée par Laura Duarte s’est exprimé sur l’intérêt de soutenir la nécessité d’un avis consultatif de la part de la Cour Internationale de Justice pour qu’elle se prononce sur la justice climatique sous le prisme des droits humains. Rob Van Riet, et Alyn Ware ont abordé les aspects techniques d’une telle requête auprès de la CIJ et des opportunités qu’elle présente. Ensuite, Nicole Ann Ponce et Solomon Yeo ont présenté les enjeux et ambitions du World’s Youth for Climate Justice en tant que représentants de la jeunesse. Enfin, Samira Ben Ali et Olivia Richard sont intervenues sur leur expérience de stagiaire auprès de la Chaire Normandie pour la Paix et respectivement sur le mouvement I am climate justice et le rapport d’expertise de la WYCJ.

In the afternoon, the role of the environment in transitional justice processes was first discussed with the interventions of Laetitia Braconnier, Luis Miguel Gutierrez and Carl Bruch. Too often forgotten, the environment can also be at the origin of conflicts, and thus be a victim. In Colombia, in November 2019, nature was recognised as a subject of law in order to consider possible reparations. This is in line with the Colombian Constitution of 1991, which recognises the rights of indigenous peoples, including the recognition and defence of their territories, which represent 80% of the world’s biodiversity.

The second panel in the afternoon dealt with the issue of forest sanctuary and the link with indigenous peoples. Mindahi Bastida, Gert Peter Bruch, Apollinaire Oussou Lio and Laura Paquemar were present. Each of them spoke about the need to protect the forests and the areas inhabited by traditional communities. Gert Peter Bruch stressed the importance of promoting the representation of indigenous peoples in international organisations in order to ensure that their voices and messages are heard.

Gustavo ALANIS and Geneviève SAVIGNY explained the links between food sovereignty and the protection of biodiversity, detailing the articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other Rural People. Cassandra JURENCI and Nick SIOUFAS then spoke about Motion 44. This motion also emphasises the role of indigenous peoples and their traditional knowledge.

This was followed by a “Zoom” presentation by Kohn Kheng LIAN, who introduced the musician Amos CHIYA and his work. Ms LIAN and Mr CHIYA are both members of ICEL. More precisely, Amos CHIYA is the representative for music and culture. He also intervened at a distance to share with us his artistic project consisting in making the “voice of nature” resound through music. We were able to listen to his magnificent piece “Voice of the Sea” mixing piano notes and whale songs in perfect harmony.

1/8

Ecological Law – Ethical foundations / Droit écologique - fondements éthiques

Moderator: PROF. Emilie Gaillard

• Prof. Klaus Bosselmann, Ecological Law & Governance Association (by ZOOM video)
• Kathryn Gwiazdon, Ethics Specialist Group, IUCN WCEL Patrick Blandin, IUCN Comité français l’UICN
• Prof. Jochen Sohnle, University of Nancy, Normandy Chair for Peace
• Prof. Christophe Bouriau, University of Nancy, Normandy Chair for Peace

2/8

Artificial Intelligence: Providing Nature with Autonomy and Stewardship

Modérateur : PROF. Victor TAFUR

• Prof. David FREESTONE – Déployer l’IA : la Commission de la mer des Sargasses (Discussion vidéo)
• Prof. Andrea LEITER – Créer une agence pour la nature : L’initiative pour la nature souveraine
• Rutger van ZUIDAM (avec une composante vidéo) – Créer des collectifs de collaboration pour l’intelligence humaine – un terrain commun pour l’IA régénératrice de base

3/8

Legal Indicators – Measuring How we Observe Environmental Duties

Modérateur : Pascal Buléon (France)

• Prof. Michel Prieur (Par ZOOM vidéo)
• Christophe Bastin, Chaire Normandie pour la Paix.
• Umair Saleem, Pakistan

4/8

Promise of the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion

Modérateur: PROF. ALEXANDER SOLTSEV (Russie)

• Nicole Ann Ponce, Solomon Yeo, WYCJ (Par ZOOM vidéo)
• Alyn Ware, Rob Van Riet (Par ZOOM vidéo) , Samira Ben Ali, Olivia Richard (Chaire Normandie pour la Paix)

5/8

From Transitional Justice to Environmental Peacebuilding: Broadening the Legal Framework

Moderator: PROF. Victor Tafur

• Laetitia Braconnier, PhD student University of Paris Nanterre and National University of Colombia,Normandy Chair for Peace(via ZOOM video)
• Luis Miguel Gutierrez, University of Poitiers (CECOJI), Normandy Chair for Peace
• Eduardo Fruleux, Normandie Chair for Peace
• Representative CNTI, Comisión Nacional de Territorios Indígenas de Colombia (by ZOOM video)
• Carl BRUCH, Director, International Programs, Environmental Law Institute (Washington DC, USA)

6/8

Sanctuarisation of Forest / Sanctuarisation des forêts

Moderator : Prof.. Chikosa Banda (Malawi) (by ZOOM video)

• Gert Peter Bruch, Planet Amazon, Normandy Chair for Peace
• Apollinaire Oussou Lio, Environmental protector Bénin (by ZOOM video)
• Mindahi Bastida, Otomi indigenous representant
• Laura Paquemar, Normandy Chair for Peace

7/8

Ensuring Food Sovereignty & Protecting Biodiversity

Moderator: Gustavo ALANIS, Mexican Center for Environmental Law

• Prof. Smita Narula, Elisabeth Haub School of Law School at Pace University (via ZOOM video)
• Geneviève SAVIGNY, Confédération Paysanne and La Via Campesina (France) (via ZOOM video)
• Cassandra Jurenci & Nick Sioufas,Elisabeth Haub School of Law School at Pace University (via ZOOM video)

8/8

50 years of Crafting Environmental Law: A Good Story

H. E. Donald KANIARU, ICEL Representative in Nairobi and Prof. Nilufer Oral (Turkey by ZOOM Video), Director NUS Center for International Law & UN ILC Member and Prof. Victor Tafur ICEL Associate Executive Governor, NCP Environmental Peace-Building and Transitional Justice

Commemorating the Jurists Behind the Intergenerational accomplishments of the 1972 Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment, 1982 UN Charter for Nature, 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment & Development and 2002 Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development, and recalling The Legacy of Dr. Wolfgang E. Burhenne

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