Law plays an important role in climate change solutions
The UN Climate Change Conference is currently taking place in Madrid. The meeting is taking place at the end of Finland's EU Presidency and Finland has a prominent role in leading the EU bloc in the negotiations. The decisions of the international climate conferences are important also for the Baltic Sea, as the effects of the climate change on it are already visible. However, sustainable solutions require changes in the way we operate and in the laws that govern us, so it is natural that the climate change is also studied from a legal perspective.
The Baltic Sea and climate change
The Baltic Sea is central to studying the climate change, as changes have been taking place very rapidly in the Baltic Sea due to this phenomenon. This sea is often described as a climate change time machine, as the impact of climate change on it provides important insights into what kind of changes are expected in the near future globally.
Most of the
countries in the Baltic Sea Region are also EU member states, and thus are
governed by the common directives, for instance, when it comes environmental
protection. In addition, many of the Baltic Sea region states are pioneers in
climate action and the sea protection as the region is very accustomed to
cooperating on environmental issues. From the legal point of view, the Baltic
Sea is also one of the world's most regulated seas. The Baltic Sea Region can
therefore act as a global model for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
Why is legal expertise needed?
“I see the role of law as a solution, for climate change creates new challenges, and societies need to change their ways of doing things. Societies are generally based on laws that regulate and guide their functioning, therefore, law plays a key role in considering solutions to and adaptation to climate change”, explains Saara Ilvessalo, Managing Director of Baltic Area Legal Studies BALEX. As a legal expertise center under Centrum Balticum, BALEX is currently conducting research on climate change and mitigation in the Baltic Sea.
In 2020, BALEX will organize a seminar entitled "Climate Change and the Baltic Sea Region", bringing together experts from different fields to consider climate change solutions, especially from a legal perspective. The seminar is also aimed at being a starting point for a new research project and publication.
For more information about the seminar and the activities of BALEX, please contact Saara Ilvessalo, saara.ilvessalo (a) centrumbalticum.org, tel. +358 400 809 822.
