Abu Dhabi: – Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) has concluded its Pre-COP programme, a platform dedicated to fostering meaningful discussions, collaboration, and effective strategies aimed at addressing environmental issues in preparation for COP28.
The programme’s closure was marked by the third conference, titled “Damages to Nature: How to Compensate,” which delved into one of the key axes of COP28 – the topic of damages and focused on discussing the challenges of implementing a much-needed legal framework to protect nature. This conference was organized by Professor Luc Grynbaum, the Head of the Law and Economics Department at SUAD.
The event shed light on the pressing need to address and compensate for damages to nature. As the third conference of the Pre-COP programme, it brought together experts from environmental organizations and researchers from prestigious universities to discuss potential solutions and strategies for preserving and sustaining nature.
Professor Luc Grynbaum, the Head of the Law and Economics Department at SUAD commented: “This conference has taken place in the frame of Pre-COP28 events. One of the issues at stake is how to represent nature in court and how to compensate it, as nature does not have a legal personality. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the appropriate means for repairing this damage.”
Grynbaum added: “It was discussed how to assess it, how to carry out reparation in-kind. Public and private international law were called upon in the framework of this conference to provide an initial response, as the damage is frequently transnational in nature. Finally, a case study was carried out by experts about the in-kind repair of coral reefs on the coast of the UAE.”
Looking ahead, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is committed to hosting a series of conferences throughout COP 28, further demonstrating its dedication to advancing environmental discourse and solutions. Stay tuned for updates on these upcoming events.
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