Mid-Year Meeting 2004

Why, Who, When

Schedule

Fees

Why Attend?

Environmental law and administration has expanded and changed in many ways over the last decade as global issues have become more central to the protection of the environment domestically and throughout the world. It is essential that aspects of these changes be incorporated into environmental law and policy courses as well as be echoed in related courses on natural resources, sustainable development, land use, property, etc.

This conference will facilitate the teaching and integration of the international dimension in a domestic environmental law course. Sessions will be devoted to demonstrating the benefits of teaching domestic law in a global context, offer a primer on international environmental law and institutions, and explore in detail the international and domestic implications of such topics as sustainable development, bio-diversity, climate change, the impact of trade on the environment, environmental justice and the rights of indigenous people. Because it is important to understand alternative methods of environmental control, the conference also will explore comparative environmental law, including the types of government structures, market and voluntary mechanisms of control, the role of citizens, enforcement mechanisms, forms of environmental impact assessment and methods of pollution control. Because many of us are interested in working with other countries, we will have a session devoted to building bridges to assist other countries.

We often don’t appreciate and take advantage of the interrelations among what we treat in our curriculum as discrete subject matters. To overcome the traditional barrier, parts of the conference will meet jointly with the simultaneously held Property Law Conference. We will explore issues of comparative property ownership and takings issues in those sessions, as well as share a luncheon speaker.

Finally, we will offer case study/demonstration of how to integrate comparative and international issues into your courses. Thus, attendees will be exposed to many issues and techniques for adding international and comparative environmental law to the environmental and related courses we currently teach.

Who Should Attend?
This is a conference designed to benefit environmental law and natural resources professors at all levels of experience. Our speakers and panelists will include a wide array of many of the most prominent and established people in domestic and international environmental law, as well as a substantial number of newer voices. Because of the growing importance of international and global issues, and the interrelation with the simultaneous Property Law Conference, we all will learn a great deal from the conference that will enhance our teaching and scholarship.

When?
The conference will begin on Tuesday, June 15, with registration at 5:00 p.m., followed by three days of plenary sessions. The conference will conclude at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 18. In addition to the program sessions, a reception will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and luncheons will be held each day.