Advancing Transformative Changes through Biodiversity Law and Governance

Saturday 22 May 2021 | 16:00 – 17:30 (CET) 

Venue:  Zoom Online Platform (due to COVID-19 travel restrictions)

In an interactive exchange with senior jurists, general counsel, parliamentarians, leading practitioners, renowned law professors and heads of legal institutes, laureates of the biodiversity law and governance global leadership awards and other distinguished experts, this roundtable will highlight recent trends and innovations in biodiversity, considering how law and governance can accelerate ambition and implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Register now to explore how to urgently scale up biodiversity law and governance capacity to achieve transparent, accountable, and effective CBD compliance worldwide, and the global Sustainable Development Goals.   

Please register while spaces are still available here.

We invite you to join the discussion on Twitter @BlgInitiative@intsustainlaw, and @CEENRG.  

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Final Draft Programme: 

16:00 – 16:05    Welcome and Event Overview 

Chairs: Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger (University of Cambridge / University of Waterloo / CISDL, UK & Canada) &  Prof. Jorge Cabrera (University of Costa Rica / CISDL Lead Counsel)

Welcoming Remarks:  Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema (Executive Secretary of the CBD Secretariat) – tentative

16:05 – 16:40    Biodiversity Ambition: Mobilising Legal and Institutional Reform for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework 

How can legal and institutional reform support the formulation and implementation of a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework? What are the most pressing legal obstacles and opportunities to advancing the conservation, sustainable use, and benefit sharing of biodiversity? What can be learned from national policy and legislative experiences for mainstreaming biodiversity within and across all sectors of societies and economies, and how to support them with world-class assessment, accounting, public engagement and other governance systems? How to incentivize more ambitious long-term biodiversity strategies, in the context of pandemic recovery investments? How to enhance the role of biodiversity law in addressing future pandemic?

16:40 – 16:45 Launch of Toolkit and Specialization Course & Celebration of BLG Global Leadership Award & CISDL Legal Specialist Award Recipients 

* Global Launch of SDG 15: A Toolkit of Legal & Institutional Practices (CISDL, 2021) & Specialization Course on SDG 15 (CISDL, 2021).  

Special Launch of Call for Nominations for the new Biodiversity Law and Governance Global Leadership Award.

Special Recognition to the Winners of the CISDL Legal Specialist Awards for Biodiversity: 2020 Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima2019 Prof Robert Kibugi;  and 2018 Adv. Frederic Perron-Welch

16:45 – 17:15    Enhancing Synergies: Advancing Linkages and Co-benefits between the CBD and Key International Instruments

How best to enhance interlinkages of biodiversity treaties with human rights, climate change, natural resources, oceans, and trade, investment and finance regimes? How can key legal and governance frameworks better contribute to conservation, sustainable use of terrestrial and marine and ocean ecosystems, climate adaptation and resilience, and sustainable development more broadly? How to align pandemic recovery measures with efforts to restore biodiversity under the CBD and related instruments, the Paris Agreement, UNCLOS and relevant Sustainable Development Goals, as well as other related international instruments? 

17:15 – 17:30    Rounds of Questions & Exchange with the Audience & Closing Remarks with Thanks to Partners & Distinguished Experts

How to move the biodiversity law and governance agenda forward on the ground and internationally through CBD COP15 and beyond, in the context of pandemic recovery? 

Masters of Ceremonies & Moderators: Adv. Freedom-Kai Phillips (CISDL / University of Cambridge), Ms. Danting Fan (CISDL Biodiversity Project Coordinator / University of Cambridge)