Law associations to co-host event at COP27: The Role of the Legal Profession in the Climate Crisis

Tuesday 18 October 2022

The International Bar Association (IBA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) and the Law Society of England and Wales are set to host an event during the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 0900 – 1400 (EET) on Thursday 10 November 2022, focusing on the role that legal professionals and organisations play in addressing the key international challenges posed by climate change.

The global scientific, social and political consensus is that climate change presents a dangerous threat to humanity, involving physical, transitional and litigation risks at every level, in both the private and public sectors. As part of their Climate Crisis Initiative, the IBA released their Climate Crisis Statement in 2020, recognising the imminent threat that the climate crisis poses globally and emphasising the role the legal profession has in addressing the issue. The ABA and the Law Society of England and Wales also published climate change resolutions in 2019 and 2021 respectively. 

The Honorable Justice Luís Roberto Barroso of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil will provide a keynote address at the COP27 event. Lara Douvartzidis, Project Lawyer at the IBA Legal Policy and Research Unit, and Letícia Perrone Campos Mello, Partner at WALD Lawyers & President of the Special Committee for the Defense of Sustainable Development at the OAB, will moderate the session. Other expert speakers include:

• Caio Borges, Coordinator of the Law and Climate Portfolio, Instituto Clima e Sociedade
• Dr Markus Gehring, Fellow in the Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Governance (C-EENRG), Associate Professor in the Law Faculty of the University of Cambridge
• Sophie Marjanac, ClientEarth leader, Climate Accountability Initiative; Expert in climate change law and litigation, human rights, and corporate management of climate risk
• Professor John Dernbach, Commonwealth Professor of Environmental Law and Sustainability Director, Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, Widener University
• Roger Martella, Chief Sustainability Officer, General Electric Company (GE)
• Dr Alessandra Lehmen, Leading Environmental, ESG, and Climate Lawyer, LSE W50
• Caroline May, Specialist Environment and Health and Safety Lawyer, Norton Rose Fulbright
• Nina Pindham, Barrister Specialising in Planning and Environmental Law, No5 Chambers

Across two sessions, panelists will discuss the following topics:

Session 1: The Current Situation. This session shall consider how law associations around the world are responding to the global legal community’s response to the climate crisis – including actions taken, climate litigation and challenges on the horizon. 

Session 2: Looking Ahead. What role should lawyers play in addressing climate change? What more can law associations do to help lawyers integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation into their practice?

Participants will receive morning tea followed by lunch at 1300, providing networking opportunities for practitioners and law associations to collaborate at the international level to tackle the greatest issue of our age – the climate crisis.

Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/441058597137

NOTE: This is an in-person event. Subject to availability on the day, online streaming may be available. Please specify your ticket preference during checkout.

LexisNexis and the Instituto Clima e Sociedade are sponsoring this event at COP27.