New Climate Registry to be launched by IBA LPRU
The International Bar Association (IBA) Legal Policy and Research Unit (LPRU) will launch the IBA Climate Registry (the ‘Registry’) with the goal of helping local bar associations highlight their responses to the climate crisis against the larger backdrop of business and human rights; environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues; and sustainability. The Registry is a peer-to-peer platform.
On Thursday 14 March 2024 at 1700 GMT international experts will discuss the critical role of the legal profession in addressing the climate crisis, recognising its interconnectedness with ESG principles, sustainability, and business and human rights.
Click here to register for the webinar: Legal solutions for a net zero future: launching the International Bar Association's Climate Registry
In this webinar, the panel of international speakers will delve into the critical role of the legal profession in addressing the climate crisis and explore how lawyers can contribute to sustainable practices and advocate for policy changes that uphold human rights and environmental integrity. The panel will draw upon the guidance provided in the IBA Updated Guidance on Business and Human Rights for legal practitioners, published in November 2023.
The IBA Climate Registry is to serve as a tool to amplify the contribution of lawyers and legal professional bodies in advancing climate action and fostering greater accountability in alignment with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, to build momentum and facilitate peer-to-peer learning, a cause closely aligned with the IBA Climate Crisis Project and IBA Climate Crisis Statement issued by a former IBA President Horacio Bernardes Neto in 2020.
Designed for the benefit of bar associations and law societies, the IBA Climate Registry facilitates information sharing and inspires collaborative initiatives in the fields of climate change and sustainability. Users can easily access statements and information by region, while the representatives of bar associations and law societies at all levels – local, state, regional and national – are encouraged to upload documents for the collective benefit to emphasise the importance of collective action in addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change.
Lara Douvartzidis, IBA Project Lawyer leading the climate and business and human rights initiatives of the IBA LPRU observed: ‘The launch of the IBA Climate Registry underscores the power of collective action within the legal profession to address the urgent challenges posed by climate change. Through strategic engagement with lawyers worldwide, we've witnessed a growing demand for collaboration and shared resources in response to the triple planetary crisis. The IBA Climate Registry serves as our collective answer, providing a platform for legal associations to showcase their responses and exchange insights. With features like the “Submit” button, we empower every representative to contribute and be part of the change. Because teamwork makes the dream work.’
Sara Carnegie, Director of the IBA LPRU commented: ‘As legal professionals, we hold a significant role in shaping the trajectory of our society. The convergence of business and human rights law with ESG and related sustainability standards highlights the crucial need for us to prioritise climate action. Addressing the climate crisis is not only about fulfilling professional duties – it's about recognising the strategic importance of safeguarding human rights, promoting environmental integrity, and fostering sustainable business practices. Through active engagement in initiatives like the IBA Climate Registry, we can harness our collective expertise to drive positive change and pave the way for a more just and sustainable world.’
Ken Murphy, Chair of the IBA’s Bar Issues Commission, appealed: ‘I urge every bar and law society to contribute to the IBA Climate Registry whatever has been worked on to date in relation to the climate crisis; all of the best ideas, information, insights and documentation. Only by doing this can we learn from each other and coordinate, within the legal profession, our contribution to the global response that this global emergency requires. The climate change crisis transcends all geographical and political borders. All life on earth is experiencing its effects. The legal profession, like everyone else, must play its part in addressing this challenge. The IBA is the global voice of the legal profession – and there is nothing more global than climate change.’
Mr Murphy added: ‘In many ways the IBA is at its best when we are sharing insights, learning from each other and developing international best practice. No one needs to “reinvent the wheel” on this issue. We just need to share what already exists and develop it further if we can.’
Send comments and/or enquiries about the initiative to Sara.Carnegie@int-bar.org
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Notes to the Editor
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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, it 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.
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