Asia Pacific Judicial Colloquium on Climate Change: Using Constitutions to Advance Environmental Rights and Achieve Climate Justice
26 to 27 February 2018

Lahore, Pakistan

Senior judges from across Asia Pacific and other legal stakeholders (i.e., government, prosecutors, civil society, and academicians) in this judicial colloquium discussed the role of the judiciary in advancing environmental rights and climate justice. The objective of the colloquium is to assist and build capacity of judges in Asia Pacific in applying environmental constitutionalism to achieve climate justice and advance human dignity.

This event was co-sponsored by and organized in partnership with Punjab Judicial Academy, United Nations Environment Programme, ADB, Asian Judges Network on Environment, Raoul Wallenberg Institute, World Commission on Environmental Law, Global Judicial Institute on the Environment, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, and the Widener University Delaware Law School (USA).

Program and Learning Materials
Session / Activity Title Speaker(s)
Inaugural Session Welcome Address Muhammad Yawar Ali
Inaugural Session Opening Remarks Elizabeth Mrema
Inaugural Session Opening Remarks Sunil Mitra
Inaugural Session Video Remarks from the Global Judicial Institute on Environment Antonio Benjamin
Inaugural Session Environmental and Climate Justice: A Perspective from Pakistan Syed Mansoor Ali Shah
Session 1 - Evolution and Innovations in Environmental Constitutionalism and Rights Evolution and Innovations in Environmental Constitutionalism: Introduction and Overview
Global environmental constitutionalism is the study and implementation of ways to advance positive environmental outcomes through constitutional…
James May
Session 1 - Evolution and Innovations in Environmental Constitutionalism and Rights The Interdependence of Human Rights and the Environment John Knox
Session 1 - Evolution and Innovations in Environmental Constitutionalism and Rights The Role of Constitutional Courts in Rendering Environmental Justice Ayesha Malik
Session 1 - Evolution and Innovations in Environmental Constitutionalism and Rights Judicial Commissions and Climate Justice in Pakistan Parvez Hassan
Session 1 - Evolution and Innovations in Environmental Constitutionalism and Rights Climate Justice for Future Generations
Restoring the vital organs of life on earth requires adhering to the law of life by conserving, protecting, and restoring. Environment is about life…
Antonio Oposa
Session 2 - Global and Regional Developments in Climate Justice Climate Justice and the Global Pact Robert Carnwath
Session 2 - Global and Regional Developments in Climate Justice Presentation Tassaduq Jillani
Session 2 - Global and Regional Developments in Climate Justice Recent Climate Litigation Concerning Environmental Rights
An emerging feature of more recent climate change litigation is the use of some type of environmental right as the basis of the claim. The…
Brian Preston
Session 2 - Global and Regional Developments in Climate Justice Climate Change and Vulnerable Groups: Global and Regional Developments
Climate change brings different meaning for different people. It is unjust, unfair, and a threat to global peace, security, and prosperity. This…
Irum Ahsan
Session 3 - The Convergence of Environmental Constitutionalism, Rights, and Climate Justice Climate Change, Environmental Threats, and Human Rights in Pakistan Ali Baqar Najafi
Session 3 - The Convergence of Environmental Constitutionalism, Rights, and Climate Justice Constitutionalism and Climate Justice James R. May
Session 3 - The Convergence of Environmental Constitutionalism, Rights, and Climate Justice Climate-induced Migration, Justice, and the Courts Ben Boer
Session 3 - The Convergence of Environmental Constitutionalism, Rights, and Climate Justice Intersections of Climate Justice and Human Rights: Lessons from South Asia
South Asia’s jurisprudence relating to environmental rights and sustainable development is a good example to the rest of the world. For instance,…
Sumudu Anopama Atapattu
Session / Activity Title Speaker(s)
Session 4 - Special Issues in Judicial Implementation of Environmental Constitutionalism, Rights, and Climate Justice Dignity Rights and Climate Justice
While courts are necessary, they are not sufficient in the struggle for climate justice. Courts must recognize not only the limitations of the…
Erin Daly
Session 5 - Judges, the Environment, and Access to Justice in Asia Pacific Jawad Hassan, Fleur Kingham, Marlene Oliver, YA Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Azahar bin Mohamed
Session 6 - Judicial Remedies and Enforcement Evolution of Law and Judicial Remedies in Environmental and Climate Change Matters: Pakistan View Point
In Pakistan, the court focused the goals of the National Climate Change Policy 2010 to ensure that climate change is mainstreamed in the economically…
Saima Amin Khawaja
Session 6 - Judicial Remedies and Enforcement Climate Litigation: A Suitable Discourse for China’s Green Courts?
The value of environmental justice is becoming increasingly prominent in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As climate litigation is a more recent…
Tianbao Qin
Session 7 - Next Steps, Conclusions, and Recommendations Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, John Knox, Andy Raine, Irum Ahsan
Closing Ceremony Closing Address Muhammad Anawaarul Haq
Closing Ceremony Closing Remarks Nils Henrik Rolf Ring
Closing Ceremony Closing Remarks Elizabeth Mrema

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

ADB Organizer/s

  • Office of the General Counsel

Topics

  • Climate Change
  • Environment
  • Governance and Public Sector Management