CLIMA Lunch Seminar with Professor David Freestone

Abstract

This presentation examines the key impacts that anthropogenic sea level rise is predicted by the IPCC to have on the territory and maritime entitlements of coastal and archipelagic states. It looks at the work of the International Law Association Committee on International Law and Sea level Rise (which has been studying this since 2014) and the work of the International Law Commission Study Group since 2018. It considers the “baselines/maritime entitlements” debate and the evidence of emerging State practice on that as well as on the issue of continuity of statehood in the face of sea level rise.

About the speaker

Professor David Freestone was for ten years (2014-2024) the co-rapporteur of the International Law Association Committee on International Law and Sea Level Rise – which submitted its final report in Athens in June 2024.  He is a Visiting Scholar at the George Washington University Law School (Washington D.C.) where he taught International Climate Change Law for more than a decade.  He is the Executive Secretary of the Sargasso Sea Commission which is working to establish conservation measures for this unique high seas ecosystem around Bermuda.  From 1996-2008 he worked at the World Bank in Washington DC, first as head of the International and Environmental Law Group and from 2004 as Deputy General Counsel. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law (now in its 39th year). He is currently editing, with Joanna Mossop, a Commentary and Analysis of the 2023 BBNJ Agreement for OUP.  Recent work includes - International Law Dimensions of Sea Level Rise. (2023, LEG World Bank) and Legal Dimensions of Sea Level Rise: Pacific Perspectives, (2021, World Bank and GFDRR) (both with Duygu Çiçek); Conserving Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (2019, Ed., Brill).  In 2007 he was awarded the Elizabeth Haub Gold Medal for Environmental Law.

Information:

Venue: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Law, 4th floor, room 6B-4-04, 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 1 December 2024 at 12:00 PM.