Asia-Pacific Judicial Conference on Climate Change Adjudication: Trends and Impacts 7 to 8 October 2019 Nadi, Fiji The Supreme Court of Fiji (SCF), in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the United Nations Environment Programme, cohosted the Asia-Pacific Judicial Conference on Environmental and Climate Change Adjudication (Conference) on 7-8 October 2019, in Nadi, Fiji under the banner of the Asian Judges Network on Environment (AJNE), the unique judicial association working towards strengthening environmental and climate change adjudication. The Conference is a continuation of the annual gathering of AJNE Chief Justices, senior judges, legal and multi-disciplinary experts, and environment and climate change advocates, which began in 2011; and will be the first one to be held in the Pacific region. Program and Learning Materials 07 October 2019 08 October 2019 Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Inaugural Session Welcome Remarks In his welcome remarks, Justice Kamal Kumar highlighted the constitutional right of every Fijian to a clean and healthy environment and the Fijian… Hon. Acting Chief Justice Kamal Kumar Inaugural Session Opening Remarks On behalf of the Asian Development Bank, Cathy Marsh welcomed the participants to the Asia-Pacific Judicial Conference on Climate Change: Trends and… Catherine Marsh Inaugural Session Opening Remarks Andrew Raine drew the participants' attention to the worsening climate crisis and the crucial role of judges in climate action. Judges will… Andrew Raine Technical Session 1: Focus on the Pacific: Regional Environmental and Climate Change Issues Overview of Fiji's Climate Change Challenges and Responses Shivanal Kumar first talked about climate science and climate change impacts in Fiji, with emphasis on Tropical Cyclone Winston and the relocation of… Shivanal Kumar Technical Session 1: Focus on the Pacific: Regional Environmental and Climate Change Issues Climate Justice and Disasters - A Focus on the Pacific Prof. Rosemary Lyster discussed about climate disasters, the various climate justice approaches and key issues, the United Nations Framework… Rosemary Lyster Technical Session 1: Focus on the Pacific: Regional Environmental and Climate Change Issues Climate Change Updates: Paris Agreement, Rulebook, and Recent Developments Maria Cecilia T. Sicangco discussed the 2015 Paris Agreement and the events that transpired after it was signed, such as the September 2019 UN… Maria Cecilia Sicangco Technical Session 1: Focus on the Pacific: Regional Environmental and Climate Change Issues Three Little Pigs: Make Friends and Save the Climate Briony Eales explained climate change, its impacts, and the various means of mitigating and adapting to climate change through a creative retelling… Briony Eales Technical Session 2: Emerging Issues on Climate Change – Gender Front Gender Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Justice Robyn Layton shared an ADB project that she has been working on with Dr. Mary Picard. This project analyzes the climate change and disaster… Robyn Layton Technical Session 2: Emerging Issues on Climate Change – Gender Front Climate Migration and Impacts on Heritage and Identity Sarah Queblatin talked about how climate change destroys cultural heritage and identity. She also identified the frameworks, studies, and approaches… Sarah Queblatin Technical Session 2: Emerging Issues on Climate Change – Gender Front Who Suffers the First and the Worst: Is Climate Change Unfair? Irum Ahsan discussed the effects of climate change, the definition of climate vulnerability, and the climate impacts on vulnerable groups,… Irum Ahsan Technical Session 3: Coastal Management, Healthy Oceans, and Nature Plastic Pollution in Oceans: Regional Focus and Judicial Strategies Maria-Goreti Muavesi talked about marine plastic pollution and its impacts on Pacific Islands, the strategies for dealing with marine plastic… Maria-Goreti Muavesi Technical Session 3: Coastal Management, Healthy Oceans, and Nature Duavata Sustainable Tourism Collective Kasi Taukeinikoro and Colin Philp shared the Duavata Sustainable Tourism Collective's definition of sustainable tourism, their values, and what they… Kasi Taukeinikoro, Colin Philp Technical Session 3: Coastal Management, Healthy Oceans, and Nature Good Seatizenship: Regional Approaches to Protecting Reefs and Ocean Resources Anna R. Oposa discussed about marine biodiversity and illegal marine wildlife trade. To protect and conserve marine resources, she suggested… Anna Oposa Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Technical Session 4: Climate Litigation - Trends and Impacts Climate Change and Judges Justice Antonio Herman Benjamin spoke to the participants about (i) the general premises concerning judges vis-a-vis the climate change crisis and … Antonio Herman Benjamin Technical Session 4: Climate Litigation - Trends and Impacts Climate Litigation: The Fight Heats Up Briony Eales explained the concept and types of climate litigation. She then discussed a few cases exemplifying the complexities of standing for… Briony Eales Technical Session 4: Climate Litigation - Trends and Impacts Redress for Climate Change Impacts on Human Rights - Carbon Majors Example Grizelda Mayo-Anda shared her expertise in seeking redress for climate change impacts on human rights by filing the Carbon Majors petition before the… Grizelda Mayo-Anda Technical Session 4: Climate Litigation - Trends and Impacts Best Judicial Practice from South Asia Ritwick Dutta discussed the different kinds of environmental litigation and legal issues that have emerged in Asia. He also showed news clippings on… Ritwick Dutta Breakout Session: Sustainable Judicial Capacity in the Pacific for Adjudicating Environmental and Climate Change Cases: Working Towards a Regional Strategy Breakout Session Results Andrew Raine and Matthew Baird led a session which aimed to formulate a regional strategy for Pacific judiciaries. With Mentimeter, the facilitators… Andrew Raine, Matthew Baird Technical Session 5: Sustainability of Climate Actions Sustainable Infrastructure Development Strategies (SIDS) for SIDS Sonia Chand Sandhu talked about the sustainability challenge, response to environmental degradation and climate change, total asset management… Sonia Chand Sandhu Technical Session 5: Sustainability of Climate Actions Passoon Passoon is a short profile of a young climate activist in Dir, Pakistan named Manal Shad. In Pashto, Passoon means to rise up for a cause, and this… Sarah Jehaan Khan Technical Session 5: Sustainability of Climate Actions Sustainability of Climate Mitigation and Adaptation: Resource Depletion Sarah Jehaan Khan highlighted the role of women in addressing environmental and climate challenges. Their dependence on natural resources leads to… Sarah Jehaan Khan Technical Session 5: Sustainability of Climate Actions Sustainable Energy: Carbon Neutrality and Renewables in Asia-Pacific - The Legal Response Sanjay Upadhyay discussed about the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Initiative, the sustainable development goals, and the concept of… Sanjay Upadhyay Plenary Session: Judicial Cooperation and Way Forward Judicial Cooperation and the Way Forward Andrew Raine and Matthew Baird discussed the results of the breakout session and identified three key actions moving forward, namely: (i) the… Andrew Raine, Matthew Baird Closing Session Closing Remarks In his closing remarks, Justice Kamal Kumar thanked the participants for attending the conference. He noted the benefits of having a wide range of… Hon. Acting Chief Justice Kamal Kumar Disclaimer The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Event Coordinator/s Irum Ahsan Related Full Agenda ADB Organizer/s Office of the General Counsel Partner Organization/s Supreme Court of Fiji and UN Environment Topics Capacity Development Climate Change Environment Knowledge Management Regional Cooperation and Integration