Interfor Conference: Forests at the Crossroads of International Law

The protection of forests is recognised to be of utmost importance in the agenda of the United Nations (UN), and in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the climate change goals. SDG15 aims to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”. Despite this recognition, forest protection is, in legal terms, rather scattered. In the context of forest environmental and climate governance, a mix of various layers of legal instruments with different goals exists, at the local, regional and global levels. Beyond environmental and climate governance, other areas of law have direct implications for forests, such as human rights or sustainable development. 

As a result, one of the main current challenges is to make sure that the interactions between different layers of legal protection run smoothly, enhancing synergies and avoiding conflicts, in order to prevent further environmental degradation of forested lands. It is also crucial to understand how the various areas of international law applicable to forests take shape when implemented in forested lands. 

This workshop therefore aims at understanding how the different areas of international law (including transnational and regional law) engage with forests and what these different layers of protection mean for the protection of forests. This line of enquiry will enable us to make sense of the links, tensions and opportunities that the many initiatives from regional, transnational and international entities entail, and provide for an assessment of the impacts of those various areas of law are, not individually, but as a whole.

Papers that touch upon the impacts of different legal frameworks on the protection of forests are welcome, from human rights to biodiversity, climate justice, sustainability, and beyond.

The 2-day workshop will be held in Copenhagen, at the Faculty of Law, on the 4^th and 5^th September 2023. It will be possible to join online for those you cannot travel, as the event will be held in a hybrid manner.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the organiser, Dr Justine Bendel, Marie Curie Fellow, University of Copenhagen. Email address: Justine.bendel@jur.ku.dk

Program

Please click here to download the program (PDF)

Information:

• Dates: 4th September (8:30-16:45) and 5th September (8:30-16:15)
• Venue: Rooms will be announce soon
• Online participation: You will receive the zoom link in the registration receipt

Registration

Everyone is welcome to join, but registration is required.

• For physical participation please click here - no later than Friday 1 September 2023
• For online participation  please click here - no deadline