CISDL


	NEWS ARCHIVE: 2003 Montreal, Canada \| 1 December 2003 Sustainable Biodiversity Law: Global Access, Local Benefits. The CISDL held a well-attended side event to the second meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing. The event included an overview of a working paper prepared by the CISDL on sustainable development law and the proposed new international regime on access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing. Attendess participated in a lively brainstorming session, raising questions about the proposed regime that they would like to see explored. These questions will form the basis of CISDL's research agenda in this area over the next two years. Our next objective is to hold a side event at the COP/MOP in February 2004 in order to solicit further suggestions, questions and ideas. Montreal, Canada \| 22 October, 2003 The WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancún was supposed to take stock and provide guidance for the Doha Development Round but failed. What does this mean for Sustainable Development, Developing Countries and the European Union? What are the legal implications of Cancún? Most importantly, how can an integrated approach provide a practical solution to the current deadlock in the negotiations? Together with the Institute for European Studies, CISDL organizes a legal experts’ panel to discuss the 2003 WTO Cancún Ministerial and its implications for Sustainable Development, Developing Countries and the European Union, from 12.30 - 2.30 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 22nd, at 3660 Peel St., McGill University Faculty of Law. The academic community, policy makers and the general public and press are welcome. REGISTER NOW for the CISDL - IES legal experts panel: there is no charge for participants, but mail jali@cisdl.org immediately to reserve a place.POSTER: PDF Montreal, Canada \| 17 September 2003 When Biosafety Becomes Binding: In partnership with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the CISDL will be holding a legal experts panel to mark the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It will be a lively discussion of biosafety law, the precautionary principle, links to global trade debates and socio-economic considerations for decision-makers, from 3.30pm - 5.30pm on Wednesday, Sept. 17th, at 3690 Peel St., McGill University Faculty of Law. The academic community, policy makers and the general public and press are welcome. REGISTER NOW for the CISDL - UN CBD legal experts panel: there is no charge for participants, but mail kgarforth@cisdl.org immediately to reserve a place. WHEN BIOSAFETY BECOMES BINDING: MARKING THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE UN CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY: PDFPoster: PDF :: 84k Cancun,Mexico \|12 September 2003 The Doha Development Agenda explicitly reaffirmed the commitment to the objective of sustainable development. But how does this objective translate into concrete WTO law and the decisions of its Dispute Settlement Mechanism? How do the areas of intersection between international economic, environmental and development/Human Rights law translate into concrete results in WTO law? In partnership with the IDLO <www.idlo.org> and tralac <www.tralac.org>, CISDL presents an Experts Panel at the 5th Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization (WTO). The title of the event is 'Sustainable Developments in recent WTO law and 'Jurisprucence'' and it will take place from 2pm - 4pm in Room Madrid I of Hotel Krystal, across from the WTO Conference Center. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTS IN RECENT WTO LAW AND ‘JURISPRUDENCE’: PDFCISDL 2003-2004 Research Strategy: PDFCISDL Members Publications 2003-2004: PDFCISDL Collaborative Publications: PDFInvitation: PDF :: 226k Cancun,Mexico \|12 September 2003 Sustainable development has been recognized by the world community as an overarching goal, as was recently re-affirmed in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the same time, increasing globalization has led to serious international debate about competition rules. How will anti-trust and sustainable development law interact? Will international competition rules favor or jeopardize the goal of sustainable development? If the World Trade Organization (WTO) becomes an umbrella for international competition disciplines, will it also be the most appropriate forum for dialogue and research on sustainable competition law? CISDL presents an Experts Panel at the 5th Ministerial Conference of the WTO. The event 'Competition Law and Sustainable Development' will take place from 4pm - 6pm in Room Madrid I of Hotel Krystal, with guidance and support from IDRC <www.idrc.ca> and the ICN <www.internationalcompetitionnetwork.org> Sustainable Competition Law: PDFWorking Paper: SUSTAINABLE COMPETITION LAW: PDFInvitation: PDF :: 226k Havana, Cuba \| 26 August 2003 In partnership with UNDP, CISDL presents a Side Event at the 6th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The title of the event is 'Land Tenure Reform in the Drylands' and it will take place from 1pm - 3pm in Conference Room 11 of the Palacio de las Convenciones. See the programme of this event here: Programme :: August 26 2003 Read the UNDP / CISDL / ACTS Challenge Paper here: Land Tenure Reform in the Drylands Read the UNDP GEF Land Tenure Innovations in the Drylands - Faciliating Access to Land proposal here: Land Tenure Innovations Proposal International Law for Sustainable Development Panel at the United Nations: CISDL, in collaboration with ILA and IDLO, hosted a session at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, in their WSSD Follow up Partnership Fair. New York, USA, May 05, 2003. The event sought input and shared lessons learned to date with regard to their new partnership. Montreal, Canada \| 1 July 2003 Judicial Education in Sustainable Development Law: CISDL has entered into discussions with the National Judicial Institute and the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice to develop a course for judges on environmental and sustainable development law. A Draft Outline of the Course is available [here], and comments are welcome.Proposal: ‘Judicial Education on Environment and Sustainable Development Law in Canada’: PDF New York, USA \| 5 May 2003 International Law for Sustainable Development Panel at the United Nations: CISDL, in collaboration with ILA and IDLO, hosted a session at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, in their WSSD Partnership Fair. The session focused on "International Law for Sustainable Development," an innovative partnership between CISDL, IDLO and ILA to further the development and implementation of international sustainable development law. Read an overview here [PDF: 45kb] The session sought input and shared lessons learned to date with regard to their new partnership. [PDF: 45kb]Montreal, Canada \| 14 March, 2003 In partnership with McGill University and the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD), the CISDL held an academic workshop on the implications of national and international access and benefit sharing regimes under the CBD. “A New Regime on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing? ” PDF :: 125k Montreal, Canada \| 11 February, 2003 The debt burden of developing country governments is a critical issue for sustainable development. The CISDL invites comments on its working paper on the validity of odious debts under international law. Montreal, Canada \| 7 February, 2003 Precaution was hotly debated at Johannesburg and will play a key role in discussions of genetically-modified organisms and other important issues. Together with the Institute for European Studies, CISDL organized an academic workshop on February 7 to discuss the nature and practice of precaution in international and European law. “Precaution in World Trade Law” PDF :: 538k