New Thinking on Sustainability

Read about a conference on sustainability held by NZCPL, the German Australian Pacific Lawyers Association, and the Earth Law Alliance Aotearoa NZ.

Sustainability Conference image

The New Zealand Centre for Public Law, the German Australian Pacific Lawyers Association, and the Earth Law Alliance Aotearoa NZ jointly held a conference entitled New Thinking on Sustainability at the Old Government Buildings, 55 Lambton Quay, Wellington from February 14 to 16, 2014.

The Resource Management Law Association of New Zealand also held the RMLA Academic Advisory Group 2nd annual Symposium for the presentation of recent and forthcoming research on Friday 14th February (9am–4pm).

The New Thinking on Sustainability conference opened with a keynote speech from Klaus Bosselmann. Saturday was devoted to keynote speeches and plenary panels on environmental bills of rights, on legal incorporation of indigenous perspectives on the environment, and on the effects of climate change.

On Sunday February 16 the Earth Law Alliance met to discuss pertinent environmental issues in depth, while the German Australian Pacific Lawyers Association invited interested lawyers for a breakfast networking meeting.

For a more detailed description of the substantive topic background on environmental crises, a description of the coverage of some of the panels, and bios of the keynote speakers, click herepdf332KB .

Conference programme

14 February 2014

Public Workshop “Earth Laws for your Community”
Run by Michelle Maloney, Convenor of the Australian Earth Law Alliance

Conference Opening: Sir Geoffrey Palmer

Keynote Speech by Professor Klaus Bosselmann (University of Auckland) on “Sustainability Alternatives – A German-NZ Perspective”

15 February 2014

Introduction: Environmental Constitutionalism and Sustainability Bills of Rights

  • Keynote Speech by Linda Sheehan (Earth Law Centre, San Francisco, USA)
  • Panel Discussion: Professor Klaus Bosselmann (University of Auckland)
  • Dr Joel Colon-Rios (VUW)

Indigenous and Critical Perspectives

  • Keynote Speech: Prof Gerald Torres (University of Texas, Cornell Law School, USA) (Supported by the NZ Law Foundation)
  • Panel Discussion: Dr Jacinta Ruru (Otago), Andrew Erueti (University of Waikato), Linda Te Aho (University of Waikato)

Climate Change and Environmental Refugees

  • John Corcoran (University of Waikato): Pacific Island States and Climate Change
  • Alberto Costi (VUW): Legal Issues of Climate Refugees
  • Vernon Rive (AUT): Climate Change Laws and Negotiations
  • Brendan Mackey (Director, Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Griffith University, Australia): Climate Change: What we need do differently

Closing Remarks: Catherine Iorns Magallanes (VUW)

16 February 2014

Planetary Boundaries and Sustainability

  • Brendan Mackey (Director, Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Griffith University, Australia) “Can planetary boundaries help operationalize Earth system law?”
  • Michelle Maloney (Griffith University, Australia) “Ecological Limits, Earth Jurisprudence and Planetary Boundaries”
  • Cath Wallace (VUW/ECO) “Sustainability – wash your mouth out! The removal of sustainability from New Zealand law in the pursuit of economic objectives”
  • Ben Gussen (University of Auckland) “Reflections on the relationship between the principle of sustainability and subsidiarity”

Social Resistance and Civil Disobedience

  • Peter Burdon (University of Adelaide) “Why Earth Justice Needs Civil Disobedience”
  • John Parnell (Solicitor, Wellington) “Philosophies of Civil Disobedience”
  • Janice Gray and David Brown (UNSW) “Constituencies of resistance to coal seam gas mining, the political art of suture and the public good”

A: Adopting Earth Laws

  • Nicole Rogers (Southern Cross University) “Developing a Wild Law Judgment Project”
  • Gay Morgan (University of Waikato) “Writing Earth-centred Laws and Judgments”
  • Ngozi Finette Stewart (University of Benin, Nigeria) “Promoting Development, Preserving the Environment: Crusading a win-win legislative response to the sustainable development ‘Paradox’"

B: Law Change for Climate Change

  • Tom Bennion (Barrister, Wellington) “Impediments to Environmental Protection in NZ courts and legal processes”
  • John Iloabuchi Amadi (University of Auckland) “Climate Refugees or CliMates? Defining the Legal Status of Environmentally Displaced Persons”
  • Greg Severinson (VUW) “'Legislative Design for Novel Climate Industries in NZ'”

A: Eco-constitutionalism

  • Betsan Martin (Response, NZ) “Incorporating Responsibility in Laws and Governance”
  • Daniel Kelly (University of Auckland) “Supporting Strong Sustainability: Eco-constitutionalism in a New Zealand Context”
  • Thiti Waikavee (University of Auckland) “Ecological Covenants for Sustainable Governance”

B: Social Resistance and Civil Disobedience, cont.

  • Stephen Iorns (Chair) (Barrister, Wellington) “Civil Disobedience: A practical guide”
  • Peter Burdon (University of Adelaide) “Radical Social Resistance Movements”
  • Valerie Morse (Peace activist, Wellington) "Social Resistance Movements in NZ"
  • Jessie Dennis (Representing 350.org) “Environmental Cause Civil Disobedience”

Conference side events

1. Public Seminar: “Oil Spills in the Niger Delta: Corporate Responsibility for Environment and Human Rights"

Speakers: Grant Bayldon (Executive Director of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand), speaking on the recent Amnesty International fact-finding report on the Niger Delta.
Ngozi Stewart (PhD, Lecturer in Law at the University of Benin, Nigeria), speaking on eco-constitutional aspects of environmental protection in the Niger Delta.
Petra Butler (Ass. Prof, VUW Law School), speaking on corporate social responsibility.
Chaired by: Diana Shand (IUCN: Vice-President, 2008-2012, and Regional Councillor-Oceania, 2004-2012.)
For full information on this event please see this page.

2. Public Workshop: “Earth Laws for your Community”
Public Workshop run by Michelle Maloney, Convenor of the Australian Earth Law Alliance, covering an introduction to Earth Law and how communities might utilise Earth Law principles as the basis for devising new rules of governance.

3. Resource Management Law Association, Academic Advisory Group, Second Annual Symposium
Membership of the RMLA Academic Advisory Group is inclusive, and is open to all legal academics teaching in NZ universities who have an interest in researching or teaching environmental law.

4. Workshop on Teaching and Learning for Sustainability
A pedagogical workshop focused on best practices for teaching sustainability. It will be interdisciplinary, and facilitated by the VUW Department of Education and the VUW Centre for Academic Development.

5. Workshop on Policies and Law for New Zealand Conservation and Environment
Invitation-only workshop run by Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand: eco@eco.org.nz.