CLIMA Lunch Seminar with Professor Romain Chuffart

Lunch seminar

CLIMA Lunch Seminar: Sea ice geoengineering and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic 

Abstract
From the realm of science fiction to sporadic contemporary experiments, the idea of intervening in the Earth's climate system has long captivated imaginations as an alternative to achieve the goals set out under the UNFCCC climate regime and to revert the most severe impacts of climate change. As climate interventions become increasingly tangible, this presentation focuses on the intersection of marine geoengineering and existing legal and governance frameworks. It specifically examines the potential development of geoengineering through Arctic sea ice production.

While legal scholarship on marine geoengineering has primarily focused on conflicts with the law of the sea and ocean governance, this presentation goes one step further by exploring the relationship between Arctic sea ice geoengineering, international human rights law obligations, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It asks whether geoengineering technologies can be advanced to meet climate commitments while simultaneously promoting climate justice, sustainability, and ensuring Indigenous peoples’ active participation in decision-making. The presentation assesses various international legal frameworks and their potential to enhance the implementation of Indigenous rights, advocating for the urgent creation of an oceanic ethics framework that integrates these rights within the geoengineering context if these activities are to be carried out in the future.

About the speakerBillede
Romain Chuffart is the Nansen Professor in Arctic Studies (2024 and 2025) at the University of Akureyri in Iceland where he specializes in the rights of Indigenous peoples, international human rights law, international environmental law, and the law of the sea as applied to the Arctic. Romain also conducts more theoretical research on public international law combining insights from political theory, international relations, geopolitics and geography. He has taught courses in public international law, human rights, and Arctic law and policy. Romain holds a PhD in law from Durham University in the United Kingdom.

Since 2022, he has served as president and managing director of The Arctic Institute – Center for Circumpolar Security Studies, a nonprofit organization (501c3) headquartered in Washington, D.C. with a team of researchers across the world. Romain is also a member of the American Society of International Law.

Information:

Venue: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Law, JUR-JUSTITIA, 2nd floor, room 7A-2-04, South Campus, Njalsgade 76, DK-2300 Copenhagen S and online on Zoom (link will be provided after registration).

Time: 12:00-13:00

Registration: For participation in the event please use this registration form no later than 9 September 2024 12:00.