Law associations to hold half day event at COP28 on 8 December 2023

Tuesday 14 November 2023

‘Everything, everywhere, all at once’: Why lawyers are essential to tackling the triple planetary crisis

Building on the work in 2022, the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Brazilian Bar Association and the Law Society of England and Wales will again co-host an off-site event during the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) being held in Dubai. The event will take place on Friday 8 December 2023 from 1400–1800 and will focus on the role that legal professionals and organisations play in addressing the key international challenges posed by climate change.

Experts will discuss legal capacity building across nations, regulatory steps taken by bars and law societies regarding climate change and the rise of climate conscious lawyering and what this means in practice for lawyers when advising clients.

Sharing their accounts will be commercial lawyers, academics, non-governmental organisations and policymakers who are collaborating to implement at speed and scale the ‘just transition’ – a low-carbon transition that is fair, inclusive, creates decent work opportunities and leaves no one behind including those in polluting industries.

The co-hosts are grateful to DLA Piper for providing the venue, refreshments and technical support on the day, which will facilitate networking opportunities for legal practitioners, academics and law associations.

For more information about local bar association and law society efforts regarding climate change contact lara.douvartzidis@int-bar.org and alasdair.cameron@lawsociety.org.uk.

Speaker announcements and further information will be available here closer to the event taking place.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

1. Related material:
   • The IBA’s Climate Crisis Initiative
   • IBA Presidential Task Force on Climate Change and Human Rights Report ‘'Achieving Justice and Human Rights in an Era of Climate Change Disruption'
   • IBA Climate Change Justice and Human Rights Task Force Report: ‘Model Statute for Proceedings Challenging Government Failure to Act on Climate Change’
   • IBA Report on climate adaptation focuses on legal aspects to bring about successful implementation
2. The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, with the aim of protecting and promoting the rule of law globally, the IBA was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice. The IBA acts as a connector, enabler, and influencer, for the administration of justice, fair practice, and accountability worldwide. The IBA has collaborated on a broad range of ground-breaking, international projects with the United Nations, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, The Commonwealth, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, among others.
3. Find the IBA on social media here:
   • twitter.com/IBAnews
   • twitter.com/IBAevents
   • www.facebook.com/internationalbarassociation
   • www.linkedin.com/company/international-bar-association