“Strengthening Climate Cooperation, Compliance & Coherence”
An International Law Symposium on Sustainable Developments in Law and Policy on Climate Change
Friday, 02 December and Saturday, 03 December, 2005 / Montreal, Canada.
McGill Law Faculty / Faculté de droit de l'université de Montréal

On the occasion of the 2005 COP 11 / MOP 1 of the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol in Montreal

This symposium is a unique opportunity for scholarly dialogue between academics, lawyers, scientists and policy-makers, to debate the most recent trends and practices in sustainable development law related to climate change, and for participants to build their knowledge and capacity in this important emerging area.

The focus of the event is threefold:

International advisors to the Symposium include Prof. James Cameron (Climate Change Capital), Prof. David Freestone (World Bank), Mr. Richard Ballhorn (Foreign Affairs Canada), Dr. Kemal Dervis (UNDP), Dr. Gao Guangsheng (NDRC - Office of National Coordination Committee for Climate Change, Director General),* Mr. David Runnalls (IISD), Prof. James Gustav Speth (Yale University), Sir Crispin Tickell (Green College, Oxford University), Prof. Gordon McBean (University of Western Ontario), Dr. Sheila Watt-Cloutier (Inuit Circumpolar Conference), Dr. Kamal Hossain (International Law Association) and H.E. Judge C.G. Weeramantry (WICPER, former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice). The CISDL expresses our sincere admiration and respect for Dr. Joke Waller-Hunter (UNFCCC Secretariat), and International Advisor to the Symposium, who passed away recently.
Deepest gratitude is expressed to sponsors, including the Government of Canada, the leading law firms of Fasken Martineau LLP in Canada, and Mallesons Stephen Jaques in Asia-Pacific, Climate Focus, the European Studies Institute, and the National Judicial Institute of Canada, among others.

Conference Registration

Registration is on a ‘first-come, first-serve’ basis.

REGISTER EARLY AND RECEIVE A 30% DISCOUNT IN CONFERENCE FEE

Registration Form:

Email Registration Forms to the CISDL at ederome@cisdl.org

Fax Registration Forms to the CISDL at
+1 514 398 8197

Mail fee, as cheque or money order made out to 'CISDL' to:
CISDL Climate Symposium,
3661 Peel St, McGill Law Faculty,
Montreal, Canada H3Q 1X1

Information on hotels and other facilities in Montreal is available on the
COP-11 / MOP-1 Websites,

For further information, please contact CISDL Assistant Manager, Eleonore Derome, at ederome@cisdl.org.

Sponsorship Opportunities for Law Firms

CISDL invites law firms and other professional organizations to sponsor the Climate Change Symposium. As such, they have the possibility to sponsor receptions, dinner, panel events or workshops. This would present firms and organizations with great recognition opportunities, allow for the chance to meet international advisors and gain substantive exposure. For more information, please view the full document below.

Draft Programme of Symposium and Logistics

The Symposium convenes 80 – 120 leading international legal experts, academics, policy-makers, representatives of civil society organisations and
the media for two days of constructive dialogue on recent “sustainable developments” in international and domestic law and policy on climate change. It follows a dynamic format of high level plenary sessions, legal experts panels and practical workshops, for maximum engagement and participation.

The Symposium is organised by the CISDL Climate Team, who have an extensive track record in this field

Climate Team:



List of Publications:

Description of Event:

The initiative will result in several concrete deliverables:
- A series of working papers commissioned for the event will provide materials for a new book on “Sustainable Developments in Law and Policy on
Climate Change”.
- A new legal capacity building manual: ‘Sustainable Development Law on Climate Change’, that is being edited by the CISDL lawyers and law professors from different regions of the world.
- New networks and communities of practice in this emerging field.

Topics for ‘Sustainable Developments in International and National Law on Climate Change’ Legal Working Papers and Sessions

1) Progress Reviews
- Recent Experiences with Laws and Policies to Support JI and the CDM
- Current Debates on Facilitation and Enforcement in the Kyoto Protocol Compliance Regime
- Trends and Innovations in Domestic Law and Policy to Implement the Global Climate Regime
- Inter-Linking the Kyoto Protocol and other International Regimes (human rights, biodiversity, desertification, trade and investment)

2) Current Topics
- Linkages between the Kyoto Mechanisms in National and Regional Emission Trading Schemes
- Governing and Regulating the Kyoto Carbon Finance Mechanisms: Setting the Rules for JI and the CDM
- Implementing Sub-National Emission Trading and Other Reduction Schemes in Federal Countries
- Legal Implications of the Changing Climate for Indigenous Peoples Claims
- Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry in the International Climate Regime
- Green Investment Schemes: Green-washing or Key to Compliance?
- Additionality: Challenges for Private Sector Carbon Financing
- Uni-lateral CDM: Opportunities and Recent Progress in Private Sector Carbon Financing
- International Liability for Climate Change Risks: Public and Private Perspectives on Proposals

3) Future Directions
- The Future of Carbon Financing: Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism
- The Future of Compliance: Facilitation & Enforcement of the Kyoto Protocol and the UN FCCC

Conference Fees and Logistics

The symposium is being held parallel to the first meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol, and the eleventh conference of the parties to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. As such, speakers and participants are welcomed to Montreal, and kindly requested to ensure that they can cover their own costs of travel and accommodation.

Symposium participants will be charged only a nominal pre-registration fee of $ 40.00 CAD for the two-day event, with fee waivers available for students and participants from developing countries, if they register before 10 November, 2005. Late registrations will be charged a fee of $ 60.00 CAD.