Researchers' Activities

At a panel on policy aspects of One Health, Ayelet Berman presented her thoughts on the role of voluntary licensing and technology transfer contracts in advancing equitable access to vaccines in developing countries.

Danielle Yeow  participated in a roundtable dialogue on 17 Nov 2022 on the theme of “Climate Change Disputes – International Arbitration perspectives and solutions”, where she discussed the progress of COP27 discussions, the scope for resolution of inter-state disputes under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, the factors that influence State Parties when engaging in climate related disputes, the ICC Task Force on Climate Change Related Disputes, and balancing climate commitments with investment treaty obligations. 

Youna made a presentation on Identifying Marine Sensitive Areas in the SCS under International Law where she emphasised the development and adoption of scientific and technical criteria under 15 instruments applicable in the South China Sea. She demonstrated their consistency and mutually-reinforcing content and application. The presentation can be downloaded here.

This virtual meeting is a process of preparing for the white paper output of an APEC OFWG project on microplastics in coastal aquaculture and food security. To contribute to this white paper, CIL researchers Youna and Yulu will collaborate and coordinate with Mei Lin, Adjunct Associate Professor Joseph Chun from Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law (APCEL), NUS, and Associate Professor ‪Karina Yew-Hoong Gin, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NUS.

2-3 November 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited to Speak at the 2022 Yeosu Academy of the Law of the Sea

Danielle Yeow spoke on “The updated Singapore Green Plan 2p030 and Revised Carbon Tax Levels” (via remote participation).

28 October 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited by the Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nation to Participate in an Informal Networking Breakfast.

25 October 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited to Participate in an Interactive Dialogue: Welcoming a New Legal Framework on Armed Conflict and the Environment

Nivedita presented as part of Working Group 3 on nuclear safety and regulation’s panel on international trade impacts. Her presentation was entitled “Governing the Dicephalus Beast – the Tale of Transportable Nuclear Power Plant” was co-authored with Senior Fellow Denise Cheong. Drawing on the research undertaken by the CIL Team, her presentation shared initial findings on legal and institutional issues relating to the governance of floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs), focusing primarily on the governance frameworks of both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The title of her presentation is “the Law of the Sea and Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS): focusing on the protection of the marine environment”.

22 October 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited by the American Branch of the International Law Association to Speak at the International Law Weekend

Prof Bodansky discussed various issues on climate litigation as well as potential future trends. He was then joined by panelists, Diane Tan (Deputy Director-General, International Affairs Division, Attorney-General’s Chambers) and Albert Massman (Partner, Debrauw Blackstone Westbroek) in a moderated dialogue which provided insights from a government and industry perspective. The dialogue was co-moderated by CIL’s Danielle Yeow and Tiong Teck Wee (Co-Head Sustainability & Responsible Business Practice and Partner, Commercial & Corporate Disputes Practice of Wong Partnership)

A programme organised by the Law Society of Singapore, 19 Oct 2022.

11 October 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited to Speak at the IMO-WMU Joint Academic Conference Title “Protecting the Ocean – Moving Forward at 50: London Convention & Stockholm Declaration”

17 October 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited by Berkeley Law to Give the Harry & Jane Scheiber Lecture in Ocean Law & Policy.

… and is part of its Climate Change Law and Ocean Law Network

Danielle Yeow was invited to attend the ASEAN Defence Meetings Meeting -Plus Chemical, Biological and Radiological Conference

Youna Lyons, Cheng Ling Lim and Yulu Liu were invited to present on the ongoing project to develop a regional research network in the region of East Asian Seas, at the the 4^th Meeting of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) Working Group on Marine Litter. The meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, 10-11 October 2022 in a hybrid format and it was attended by delegations of COBSEA member states and observers.

6 Oct Danielle Yeow moderated at the seminar on The United Nations Climate Regime Thirty Years On — A Retrospective and Assessment by Professor Daniel Bodansky

4 Oct Moderated roundtable dialogue, CIL-DU-UNFCCC workshop on climate change, oceans and the global stocktake 

3 October 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited to Speak at a Panel at Oslo 3^rd International Environmental Law Conference.

EPISODE SUMMARY

The law of the sea convention adopted by the UN in 1982 defines the economic and political sea boundaries critical to small island states, but the rights it guarantees are threatened by rising sea levels. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Nilufar Oral, Director of the Center for International Law at the National University of Singapore and Co-Chair of the UN’s sea level rise study group, on how vulnerable states are advocating for updated protections.

SCF

24 September 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral Was Invited to Deliver a Keynote Speech at IFLOS Maritime Talks 2022.

The online conference was organized by the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and the Faculty of Law of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) of Indonesia and held via zoom.

The title of the conference was “International Symposium on Ocean Governance, Environmental Rights and Sustainable Development in the Anthropocene”.

21 September 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral Was Invited to Participate in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) Informal, Focused Consultation on Legal Matters

Yulu Liu and Cheng Ling Lim and Youna Lyons from CIL Ocean Law and Policy Programme presented at the 7th International Marine Debris Conference (7IMDC), held in Busan South Korea, 18-23 September 2022. 

Danielle Yeow spoke at the ICRC-CIL-SRC 1st Singapore International Humanitarian Law Roundtable on Technologies of Warfare and International Humanitarian Law (biological weapons)

12-16 September 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral Was Invited to Speak at the ITLOS Workshop for Legal Advisors in Hamburg

8 September 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited to Speak at the Asia-Pacific Online Session on International Humanitarian Law Session – ARMED CONFLICT AND THE PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross

It was held over two days on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 September as an online meeting. Day Two of the Seminar was moderated by Gillian Grant, the Chair of the Legal Committee of the IMO. Prof Beckman spoke in Panel 5: Operating MASS: Legal issues related to communication and enforcement.

7 September 2022: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral and Prof Patricia Galvao Teles were Invited to Give a Presentation on the Work of the International Law Commission to Participants at the Centre for Studies & Research Program at The Hague Academy.

The Programme, co-organised by the Republic of Singapore Navy and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, introduced various aspects of maritime security for maritime practitioners. The course’s participants are navies, coastguards, and other maritime practitioners from around the world. Prof. Beckman delivered a lecture about the international law of the sea while Dr. Dang presented about Vietnam’s measures against IUU Fishing.

Youna Lyons was invited to observe the 49th GESAMP annual session held at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) headquarters in London, United Kingdom, from 5 to 9 September 2022, on the delegation of Advisory Committee on the Protection of the Sea Advisory Committee (ACOPS).

Yulu Liu also attended the workshop of GESAMP WG 40 (as a representative of ACOPS) to develop a risk assessment framework for land and sea-based sources of marine litter and microplastics, which was held in Busan, South Korea from 26-30 October.

The Workshop introduced the results of the Common Fisheries Resources Analysis of skipjack tuna in the South China Sea, a joint research initiative implemented by scientists from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Viet Nam with support from the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

Independent Global Stocktake

1 Sept 2022 | Speaker, “Path to 1.5 degrees – Implementation and Implication”, AGC Academy to Legal Branch officers

Senior Research Fellow Dr. Tara Davenport was invited to participate (online) in the Expert Group Meeting on Enforcement Related Issues in Deep Sea Mining organized by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA)

Convened by Manila Observatory in partnership with Samdhana Institute and Chiang Mai University on 22-25 August 2022

The Fellowship, organised by the Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, is the flagship programme under the UN-Singapore Cyber Programme. 

The Workshop was organised by the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.

Senior Research Fellow Dr. Tara Davenport was invited to give a lecture on ‘Cyberspace and International Law’ at the 2022 inaugural UN-Singapore Cyber Fellowship Programme from 1 – 6 August 2022 in Singapore.

CIL Research Associate Brian Chang and former Research Assistant Tensin Studer presented a conference paper on “What Investor-State Mediation Can Learn from UNCLOS Conciliation: Lessons from the Timor Sea Conciliation” at the Junior Scholars Workshop of the Asian Society for International Law (AsianSIL)’s 2022 Regional Conference in Nepal, co-organised by CIL’s Teaching and Researching International Law in Asia (TRILA) team. 

The Workshop is a part of this year’s Nepal Regional Conference by Asian Society of International Law.

The Conference was organised by the United Nations Environment Programme, Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands – Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Australian Centre for Ocean Resources and Security – University of Wollongong, Centre for International Law of Sea and Maritime Law – National University of Viet Nam in Hanoi.

Dr Oral was invited to present a paper at a conference on Sea Level Rise and International Law: Assessing its Impacts on the Americas during the 73rd Session of the International Law Commission (ILC).

Prof Beckman was one of 10 speakers in Session III. In his presentation he argued the COC should contain a “non-prejudice” clause similar to that in Article VII of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. He argued that such a clause would enable the parties to cooperate on matters of common interest without being seen as either acquiescing to or recognizing the legitimacy of the sovereignty and maritime claims of other States or as renouncing or giving up their own sovereignty claims and maritime claims in the South China Sea.

The global community has failed to stop biodiversity loss, and people do not realise the impact of this persistent trend, warns veteran diplomat, law professor and environmentalist Tommy Koh.

Senior Research Fellow Dr. Tara Davenport gave an online lecture on 19 July 2022 submarine cables and pipelines at the Kadir Has International Law of the Sea Academy held in Turkey from 18 to 29 July 2022.