Climate Law and Governance Initiative welcomed Université Privée de Marrakech, Hassan 1ier University, and Cadi Ayyad University into its worldwide partnership of leading universities, law associations, judicial institutes, inter-governmental organizations and foundations, to advance implementation of the Paris Agreement. Together with these new partners, the coalition of CLGI partners hosted a series of seminars, conferences and symposia world-wide, culminating in the second annual Climate Law and Governance Day on Friday 11 November 2016, as an official CoP22 side event.
The event drew an audience of over 260 government delegates, law and policy practitioners, academics, and students to the beautiful and ecologically friendly forum hall and university grounds of UPM. Through intergovernmental plenaries, plenary keynotes, expert roundtables and participatory workshops, the participants discussed the law and policy reform elements of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Paris Agreement, the Climate SDG, and the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol. Substantive discussions enabled knowledge sharing and the setting of priorities for legal and institutional capacity building to implement the reforms inherent in the NDCs.
On Saturday 13 November, the outcomes of this one-day symposium were reported back to delegates, observers and other stakeholders in an official event at the COP22 Bab Ighli site. The high level feedback session summarised the day’s analysis of the trends, challenges, and opportunities for innovation across four themes: climate instruments, climate finance, climate litigation, and climate justice.
Throughout the discussions, the high level panels of general counsel and leadership of the CLGI partners referred to the variety of legal tools and instruments available and the need to bring them together to address climate change and make law work for people. Further, they agreed that new instruments and innovative approaches will be needed and that much remains to be done for the legal community to do its part in responding to the challenges posed by climate change. They identified trends, challenges, and opportunities.
In tracking climate litigation, they noted an increasing number of climate change cases being fought and won in domestic courts, and the resulting need for education amongst judiciary and legal practitioners.
In mobilising climate finance, CLGD experts noted the advent of private sector investors and the diversity of issues presenting obstacles to incentivising climate finance. They called for legal creativity to address these obstacles and for clarity in the interaction with international economic law.
In highlighting innovative climate instruments, they noted the increasing plurality of actors and sectors involved in climate law and governance and emphasised the need for law and policy integration and creativity to address fragmentation challenges.
In promoting equity and climate justice, CLGD experts also highlighted the trend towards formal recognition of the importance of justice considerations to climate change law and governance.
Climate Law and Governance Day helped to set an agenda for future legal and governance research, and to identify priorities for capacity building efforts to assist policy makers to implement necessary legal and institutional reforms to action NDCs. By engaging students, both international and local, and discussing opportunities to align policy teaching with the new international climate regime, the partnership also helped to support the next generation of law and policy makers.
Indeed, students from leading universities of the world were awarded medals in a global essay competition, showed posters of their research projects, and performed a competitive moot in for world-class international expert judges during the day. These activities built capacity, shared energy and new ideas, and provided inspiration for action. An announcement of the winners can be found on our Student Involvement page.
The organisers would like to express our greatest thanks to the 2016 Climate Law and Governance Day Programme Committee, student volunteers, and contributors.
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