On the morning of May 12, 2023, the "Climate Change Legal Issues Seminar" was grandly held at the R104 Lecture Hall of Macau University of Science and Technology. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese Environmental Protection Federation and the Faculty of Law of Macau University of Science and Technology, with support from the Global Climate Change and Green Development Special Fund of the Tsinghua University Education Foundation. Nearly twenty experts, scholars, and legal practitioners from various fields across the country gathered in Macau to jointly discuss legal issues related to climate change.
Group photo of participants
The opening ceremony was chaired by Ms. Shi Wen, Director of the Legal Affairs Department of the Chinese Environmental Protection Federation.
The Executive Secretary-General of the Global Climate Change and Green Development Project Fund of Tsinghua University Education Foundation, Wang Binbin, delivered a speech (represented by Ms. Lin Lu).
Xie Yuhong, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Chinese Environmental Protection Federation, and Dean Fang Quan of the Faculty of Law of M.U.S.T. delivered welcome speeches for the seminar.
In her speech, Ms. Lin Lu (representing Executive Secretary-General Wang Binbin) expressed gratitude for the support of the Faculty of Law of Macau University of Science and Technology. She emphasized the urgency of China's transition to a green development mode, accelerating green transformation, and achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. She also stated that the Global Climate Change and Green Development Special Fund of Tsinghua University Education Foundation will continue to dedicate itself to promoting domestic and international scientific research, exchange, and cooperation related to supporting green and low-carbon development and climate change. The fund will also contribute to talent cultivation in the field of climate change legal issues, making contributions to tackling climate change collectively.
Ms. Lin Lu (on behalf of Executive Secretary-General Wang Binbin) delivered a speech.
In her speech, Ms. Xie Yuhong, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Chinese Environmental Protection Federation, expressed that climate change is a significant challenge in today's society, and it encompasses various aspects. Achieving the goals of carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 requires actions from both the government and businesses to address these challenges. Regarding the adoption of relevant measures at the legal level, the Chinese Environmental Protection Federation, as a national first-tier organization, will actively play a bridging role and contribute to promoting environmental protection work through the power of the people.
Vice Chairman Xie Yuhong's speech
Dean Fang Quan of the Faculty of Law of Macau University of Science and Technology, in her speech, expressed that the Chinese Environmental Protection Federation has long been committed to promoting the development and progress of environmental causes in China and worldwide, achieving remarkable achievements. The Faculty of Law is honored to co-host this seminar and expresses gratitude for the strong support from the Global Climate Change and Green Development Special Fund of Tsinghua University Education Foundation. Dean Fang noted that climate change involves a broad and complex field of legal issues. As Macau serves as a central city in the Greater Bay Area, it has a solid foundation for achieving carbon neutrality. Since its establishment, the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology has continuously explored teaching and research in environmental law and possesses the capability to conduct interdisciplinary research on environmental and climate change legal issues. The dean expressed the hope for collaboration with mainland experts and scholars to deepen the exploration and research of climate change legal issues and contribute to the environmental protection cause in Macau.
Dean Fang Quan's speech
The "Climate Change Legal Issues Symposium" was divided into two sessions. The first session was moderated by Associate Professor Luo Ji from the Institute of Environmental Law at Wuhan University. During the thematic speeches, Professor Wang Shuyi, a distinguished professor from Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, shared some thoughts on climate change litigation. Professor Zhou Ke from the Law School of Renmin University of China presented the latest insights on the structure and application scenarios of environmental personality rights, the combination of climate change, personality rights, and environmental law. Professor Cao Xia from the Law School of Australian National University discussed the issue of safeguarding the rights of controlled emission enterprises in the allocation of carbon emission quotas and proposed relevant strategies. Lawyer Ou Zhidan, Vice Chairman of the Macau Association of Environmental and Natural Resources Law, analyzed the feasibility of climate litigation in Macau based on the background of Macau's public interest litigation system. Zhan Pengwei, a doctoral student in environmental resources law at the Law School of Australian National University, discussed the legality of the European Union's carbon border adjustment mechanism and proposed solutions for China's involvement in this issue. Mr. Li Haiyan, a senior inspector from the International Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, delivered expert remarks on the first session.
Speakers (from left to right): Associate Professor Luo Ji, Professor Wang Shuyi, Professor Zhou Ke, Professor Cao Xia, Lawyer Ou Zhidan, Student Zhan Pengwei, Mr. Li Haiyan (online)
The second session of the symposium was chaired by Deputy Director Han Qi from the Environmental Resources and Energy Law Committee of the All China Lawyers Association. During the thematic speeches, Associate Professor Deng Haifeng, Party Secretary of the Law School of Tsinghua University, discussed the challenges and countermeasures brought by the European Union's carbon tariff. Professor Hou Jiaru from China University of Political Science and Law introduced views on climate negotiations and international carbon order in the VUCA era. Associate Professor Huang Mingjian from the Law School of Australian National University discussed legal cooperation issues regarding achieving carbon neutrality in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Macau's positioning and countermeasures in this regard. Associate Professor Wu Yu from the Institute of Environmental Law at Wuhan University presented views on solid waste management policies and legal responses under the dual carbon targets. Student Sun Kerun, a master's student in international arbitration at the Faculty of Law of M.U.S.T., shared their perspectives on judicial responses to climate change governance issues under the dual carbon targets.
Finally, Mr. Liu Yaping, Honorary Chairman of the Ecological Law Research Association of the Jiangsu Law Society, delivered expert remarks on the discussions of the second session.
Speakers (from left to right): Deputy Director Han Qi, Associate Professor Deng Haifeng, Professor Hou Jiaru, Associate Professor Huang Mingjian, Associate Professor Wu Yu, Student Sun Kerun, Mr. Liu Yaping
In the closing speech, Associate Professor Huang Mingjian from the Faculty of Law of M.U.S.T. concluded the symposium. The symposium was a high-level academic event with significant achievements. The speeches of the attending experts were of great academic value and research significance. The Faculty of Law of M.U.S.T. hopes to continue contributing to China's environmental protection cause in collaboration with the All-China Environmental Federation, the Global Climate Change and Green Development Special Fund of Tsinghua University Education Foundation, and the participating experts and scholars in the future.