BIICL: Compliance with International Environmental Obligations: Holding States to Account

On February 29, 2012, the British Institute of International and Comparative Law will host a workshop on "Compliance with International Environmental Obligations: Holding States to Account." Speakers will include: Alistair McGlone (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs); Stephen Hockman (6 Pump Court Chambers); and Roy Watkinson (Roy Watkinson Environmental Consulting Limited). Here's the idea:

A concern to live in a healthy environment is becoming one of the most important aspects of our daily life. At the international level different legal regimes have emerged with an aim to provide standards and procedures for the protection of environment. One of the key questions is how to secure compliance of States with these provisions. The event will start with an overview of compliance mechanisms; what they are, a brief history of their development, and consideration of key issues that emerge after the compliance mechanisms are established and put into operation (Alistair McGlone). The discussion will continue with the examination of provisions of the Aarhus Convention; the way in which the Compliance Committee seeks to enforce them, and the implications of the process for national governments, including the UK (Stephen Hockman). Another important international mechanism for the protection of environment is the Committee on Implementation and Compliance under the Basel Convention. In this context, the event will consider practical experience accrued from the Committee's work as well as future challenges that lay ahead of the Basel Convention compliance mechanism (Roy Watkinson).