Researchers' Activities

Joel Ong, Visiting Scholar, Visiting Researcher Programme with CLIMA – Centre for Climate Change Law and Governance, Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 27-31 May 2024, https://jura.ku.dk/clima/news/2024/joel-ong-jie-hao/

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Her presentation discussed the applicability of IMO regulations in regard to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fishing vessels and possible ways forward.

Dr Nilufer Oral was elected to be a member of the Curatorium of The Hague Academy of International Law in January 2024 and participated in her first meeting in The Hague on 24 May 2024.

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More about the case at the link: C31_Adv_Op_21.05.2024_orig.pdf (itlos.org)

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Dr Oral spoke on Environmental Protection at the panel “Investor Obligations Cluster I: Global Stewards”.

The briefing was structured around the Chair’s guiding questions and was followed by an interactive dialogue with delegations and experts.

Joel Ong presented on ‘An Introduction to Maritime Law Careers in Singapore’.

Her article is readily accessible via open access at: https://brill.com/view/journals/apoc/8/2/article-p287_006.xml. She also participated in the ‘Special Sessions on the Newport Manual on the Law of Naval Warfare’ on May 17, 2024.

She delivered introductory remarks for Session 4 on “Non-Traditional Maritime Security Issues: Combating Piracy, Illegal Fishing and Human Trafficking,” focusing on the forced labor and trafficking aspects of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Research Associate Daniel Nicholas Pakpahan presented a paper titled “Sea-level rise and migration: Beyond the mainstream international law vocabulary” at the Trinity College Dublin Symposium on Climate Change and Migration.

Nilufer spoke on 29 April 2024, on the topic “Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology”.

Joel Ong presented his key findings and research on climate change and shipping at the IMO, entitled: ‘Developments, Barriers, Prospects of Mitigating Shipping’s Impact on Climate Change at the IMO: A Diachronic Approach’.

Nilufer spoke on the topic: “Sea-Level Rise Developments in the United Nations”.

The programme brought together high level national cybersecurity officials from 22 countries in an inter-disciplinary programme to enhance expertise in overseeing cyber and digital security policy-making, strategies and operations. 

She discussed the progress and prospects of protecting the human rights of fishers in Southeast Asia, and how law of the sea and international human rights law can better interact.

Joel Ong presented on ‘Maritime Cybersecurity: Implications of Digitalisation and Decarbonisation’.

The Straits Times featured an article about the launch of the new Centre. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/new-s-pore-based-think-tank-asia-centre-for-health-security-to-prepare-region-for-biological-threats

The full copy of the AsianSIL IELIG Early Comments can be accessed here: https://www.asiansil.org/asiansil-ielig-members-submitted-their-early-comments-to-the-icc-prosecutors-policy-paper-on-environmental-crimes/

The lecture was part of the Master of Commercial Law Program, organized and taught by Dr. Su Wai Mon.

This visit fostered a deeper understanding of MPA’s work, and how Singapore manages maritime traffic through one of the busiest straits in the world, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, and in its port waters.

It examines how the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – the United Nations specialized agency responsible for safe, secure and efficient shipping and the prevention of ship-source pollution – attempts to regulate shipping emissions, and why it is important to examine the implications of alternative fuels development to climate change and reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping.

As part of the session on “Transporting Sensitive and Hazardous Materials in Southeast Asia”, Nivedita provided a brief introduction to the topic and highlighted the work that CIL has done in the area.

The  paper  addresses the importance of clarity in the legal characterisation of voluntary carbon credits.

Participants discussed the mapping of regional biogeography in the Indian Ocean, as well as explored ways forward for IORA member states regarding the implementation of area-based management tools in the BBNJ Agreement.

IAReporter is an editorially-independent news publisher focusing on the international law that applies to foreign investment, particularly the international investment treaties and arbitration claims that arise in this context.

This is a one-day retreat on sea level rise with the 12 C-SET members (Antigua & Barbuda, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany, Malta, Morocco, New Zealand, Palau, Republic of Korea, Romania, and Tuvalu.

Dr Tan Hsien-Li taught an executive seminar on “Integration, Rights, and Comprehensive Security in the Indo-Pacific”, Foreign Area Officer Program, Institute for Security and Conflict Studies, George Washington University, Singapore, 13 March 2024.

The Conference brought together industry experts, decision makers and senior leaders to discuss drivers for industrial decarbonisation including the building of affordable energy systems and infrastructure, the role of investment and government subsidies and regulations.

As a member of the Committee nominated by the ILA Singapore Branch, Dita will contribute to the Committee’s work for the next 4 (four) years, focusing on the jurisdiction of states for the purpose of protecting people at sea.

This event, co-organized by the Lauterpacht Centre with the Institute of Juridical and Political Sciences at the University of Lisbon, focused on important recent developments in the area of the law of the sea.

This expert working group meeting invited participants from academia, government and industries to set the stage for the next steps towards the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-4), and to discuss the establishment of a working group on extended producer responsibility (EPR) to enhance waste management in ASEAN member states.

The CIL delivered a statement at the dedicated stakeholder session on  6 Mar 2024, available on the UNODA’s conference website  here (CIL – 7th Session).

The panel discussed various legal issues in Southeast Asia and lessons/best practices on regional maritime cooperation.

The Role of Technology, Policy and Communities in Reducing Inequalities”, organised by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and held virtually on 27 February 2023.

The Nepal National Rounds was held in Kathmandu from 1 to 3 March 2024. Daniel judged the preliminary rounds and the semifinal round of the competition. Eleven teams participated in this year’s competition, a record high in the history of Jessup Nepal, and the national champion title went to Kathmandu School of Law. National champions will compete in the White & Case Jessup International Rounds in Washington, DC, USA, on 30 March to 6 April 2024.

Dr Tan Hsien-Li presented the draft of her forthcoming chapter “Staying the Course in ASEAN’s Rules-based Order: Realizing the AEC’s ‘Single Market and Production Base’ Amid Global Turbulence” at the “Post-2025 ASEAN Economic Community: Rules-based Ordering”, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS, Singapore, 26 February 2024 and 8 December 2023.

More about the event at the link: https://www.wcl.american.edu/news-events/news/experts-examine-state-responses-to-new-un-articles/

She was part of the delegation of the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS), a non-governmental organisation with observer status with the OSPAR Commission.

CIL Research Associate Daniel Pakpahan attended the first Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) Tribunal Secretary Training Programme for 2024, held in Singapore at Allen & Overy LLP.

The purpose of this symposium is to explore the interplay between international law, policy and concrete decisions in the field of security.

CIL has been an official observer to Working Group III since 2017, when the Working Group’s mandate began.

Statement available at OEWG portal here.

Rashmi moderated Panel 2 (“A safe place to live and earn a living – The UDHR and Migrants’ Rights”) and Celine was a panelist for Panel 1 (“Celebrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”).

She was part of a panel on “Developing International Norms Addressing the Disposal of Nuclear Waste and Nuclear Governance at the International and Domestic Levels” where she gave a presentation on “Nuclear Governance and the Discharge of ALPs-treated Water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station”.

Dr Tan Hsien-Li participated in the Direct Interface on ASEAN Economic Community Post-2025 Vision with the ASEAN High Level Task Force on Economic Integration, hosted by the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community, HE Satvinder Singh, in Jakarta on 29 November 2023.

Dr Tan Hsien-Li, Chan Sze-Wei and Yvette Foo of the ASEAN Law and Policy team made a fruitful research trip to Jakarta from 27-28 November 2023 for meetings with the ASEAN Secretariat’s Legal Services and Agreements Directorate and ASEAN Resource Centre, the Singapore Permanent Mission to ASEAN and Indonesian research colleagues in the field of ASEAN.

On 24 November 2023, the Centre for International Law (CIL), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and University College London (UCL) jointly organised an in-person, closed-door, off-the-record meeting on investment treaties and climate change for ASEAN-Plus government officials in Singapore. This in-person meeting was a follow up to a virtual meeting held on 25 May 2023, which focused on the investment treaty regime, its impact on high-carbon and other investment incentives, and its interaction with policies designed to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Following an introductory presentation of the Paris Agreement and key recent climate developments, the in-person meeting proceeded to discussion of whether investment treaties can contribute to addressing climate change, and how to ensure that investment treaties do not hinder the achievement of climate goals.

She presented her draft article about informal lawmaking in ASEAN. Professor Natalie Klein from UNSW served as a commentator for her article.

Under the question “Is the World Without Investment Arbitration, a World With(out) Justice?”, the conference sought to map out different paradigms of international investment regulation in a post-reformed ISDS, and also a post-ISDS, world. Dr Giannakopoulos participated in the discussion with a presentation entitled “Justice in ISDS and the Search for Community”, which addressed the question of ISDS’ “audience” in the system’s current and potentially reformed state.

It was a closed-door engagement session with the EU-ASEAN Business Council, PwC Singapore, Leiden University, and representatives of private sector entities active in ASEAN on 23 November 2023 in Singapore. 

The event focused on the theme “Threats from the Global Commons.” She shared her forthcoming article about “Threats to Commercial Shipping During International Armed Conflicts.”

More about the event at the link: https://dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/dfa-releasesupdate/33695-philippines-hosts-regional-workshop-on-the-bbnj-agreement

More about the event at the link: https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/the-symposium-on-global-maritime-cooperation-and-ocean-governance-2023-concluded-in-sanya-301984180.html

A recording of the event at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MxFoz22S7I

This workshop invited contributors to the APEC OFWG White Paper on Microplastics in Coastal Aquaculture Systems: Development of Regulatory Frameworks, Practices and Mitigation Efforts in APEC Economies to further discuss a mitigation/prevention plan for microplastics in the coastal aquaculture input chain in APEC economies.

At the event, Dr. Berman presented on The WHO Pandemic Agreement and International Health Regulations (IHR): Implementation Challenges and Approaches.

Ms Indranee Rajah SC, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development delivered the closing address. Brochure PILC Portal (301023)

https://voicesfromasia.podbean.com/e/voices-from-asia-part-3-will-cop28-be-a-gamechanger-for-the-loss-and-damage-fund/

Dr. Nilufer Oral was a member of the panellists at the informal plenary meeting.

She also presented in a panel on “SMART Cables” at Submarine Networks 2023, a conference that brings together the telecommunications industry in Singapore, on 28 September 2023.

She presented on “Southeast Asian Approaches to the Protection of Submarine Cables: Problems and Prospects for Cooperation.”

On October 26, 2023, Dita led a session on “Interception,” covering maritime zones, jurisdiction at sea, and grounds for interception under international law. The following day, October 27, 2023, Dita covered “Search and Rescue (SAR) at Sea” module, focusing on the international legal framework and the three phases of emergency set out in the SAR Convention. On both days, Dita also facilitated simulation exercises involving scenarios of smuggling of migrants by sea.

For the full conference programme, click here. To view Prof Beckman’s PowerPoint slides, click here.

Investigative reports have exposed the tragic working conditions experienced by some fishers in Southeast Asia. These fishers often find themselves labouring nearly around the clock with minimal access to essential provisions like food, water, and medical care. The situation is exacerbated by instances where those in need of medical assistance are abandoned at sea. To make matters worse, fishers are susceptible to various forms of abuse, including physical and sexual, inflicted by the vessel’s master or fellow crew members. The inability to leave the vessel compounds the abuses endured by these individuals, particularly considering the prolonged durations fishing vessels spend at sea.

This event was co-organised by the Centre for Strategic Energy & Resources, an independent think-and-do tank and non-profit organisation that seeks to provide thought leadership on issues related to energy transition and sustainability. Denise presented as part of the session on “Global Perspectives on nuclear energy and its implications for Asia Pacific”.

More about the event at the link: https://www.ila-americanbranch.org/international-law-weekend/

The workshop was organised by the T.M.C Asser Institute, the University of Groningen and in close cooperation with the Centre for the Law of EU External relations (CLEER) on 20 October, Den Haag.

Click here for event information and here for the recording of the session.

His presentation was on “The Impact of the 2023 High Seas Treaty on Commercial Shipping”. For the abstract of this presentation and his PowerPoint slides, click here.

At this year’s event, Nilufer was one of the speakers for the opening fireside chat on “Building the Foundations for Turkey’s Future in International Arbitration and International Dispute Settlement”.

The event opened with a Keynote by ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn, followed by panels on “Forces of Fragmentation”, ASEAN economic integration, regional flashpoints and “ASEAN in the age of multipolarity”.

Prof Beckman delivered the keynote speech in Session 1, which was entitled “South China Sea: International Law Perspectives”.

Many thanks to the Washington College of Law and  partner institutions for the collaboration; as well as the expert speakers and participants for their contributions to the robust and thought provoking dialogues. 

https://www.wcl.american.edu/impact/initiatives-programs/techlaw/events/second-annual-symposium-on-cyber-and-international-law-cyber-in-war-lesson-from-the-russia-ukraine-conflict/

more information here https://www.icj-cij.org/judicial-fellows-program

The full programme and informal documents prepared for the Sixth Intersessional Meeting of Working Group III are available here.

The panel was moderated by Professor N. Jansen Calamita, Head, Investment Law & Policy, at CIL. Discussants on the panel were Ms Young Shin Um, Senior Deputy Director, International Dispute Settlement Division, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, and Ms Lai Thị Vân Anh, Deputy Director General, Department of International Law of the Ministry of Justice of Viet Nam.

Dr. Davenport gave a lecture on “Deep seabed mining and submarine cables.” More information on this initiative is available here: https://www.isa.org.jm/deep-dive/

Her presentation is available here.

The webinar was livestreamed on Facebook, and the video recording of the event is available here.

The theme of the conference was ‘Future of Environmental Law in ASEAN and Beyond.’ On August 17^th, 2023, Dita presented on the topic of ‘Ocean Equity.’

On 9 August 2022, Dita delivered two presentations, covering the status of maritime boundaries in Southeast Asia, the ongoing requests for advisory opinions on sea level rise, and UNCLOS dispute settlement mechanisms in the Southeast Asian context.

TRILA Team co-organised the Junior Scholar Workshop at the University of Indonesia, Faculty of Law.

Dr. Davenport presented on “UNCLOS, IMO and Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships,” in Plenary Session 3 on Maritime Autonomous Surface Vessels.

Railla Puno delivered a presentation online based on working paper “Oceans and Climate Change: Synergy and Conflict in International Law”

The theme of this year’s MILOPS was ‘Cooperating to Defend the Rules-Based International Order in the Indo-Pacific.’

The conference, hosted by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) and Verification Research, Training, and Information Centre (VERTIC), focused on managing and mitigating incidents and escalation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dita Liliansa delivered a presentation titled ‘Regional Cooperation on Fishing Vessel Safety in Southeast Asia” at the 2023 International Marine Economy and Maritime Services Forum in Ningbo, China (17-19 July 2023).

On 11 July 2022, Senior Research Fellow Charalampos Giannakopoulos participated in the conference “International Trade and Business Law: Present and a Decade Ahead”, which was organised by the University of Law, Viet Nam National University.

The 26^th Rhodes Academy was attended by 48 students from 29 countries from all regions of the world, including participants from four countries in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. CIL sponsored the participation of Taufik Rachmat Nugraha of Indonesia, who is currently an ASEAN Visiting Fellow at CIL.

The only Singaporean participant at the 26^th Academy, Amanda Chong from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, who did Singapore proud by receiving an award for being the top student in the written examination. The top student in the oral examination was Ms. Aliki Gkana from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece.

28 June 2023: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited by Durham University to Speak at the IPDM Annual Conference on “Maritime Security in a Changing World”.

CIL Director Dr Nilufer Oral spoke on the role and relevance of the oceans in the global stocktake while Danielle Yeow, Lead Climate Change Law and Policy spoke on the current and future role of stakeholders in the global stocktake process. 

22-23 June 2023: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited by Durham University to Speak at the “The Global Stocktake and International Law Paradigm, Process and Ambition”.

This workshop, whose participants were mostly natural scientists, focused on four current issues and specific case studies on (1) marine plastics, (2) blue carbon, (3) shared fish stocks and fisheries refugia, and (4) marine protected areas, area-based management tools and endangered species. Each session had two specialised trainers: a scientist and a lawyer.

The Keynote focused on the Law-Science to policy interface to protect coral reef systems and emphasised the respective role of science and law to inform policy-making by governments and the importance of underused provisions of international law to protect the marine environment including coral reef systems and associated species. The presentation slides can be viewed here.

The lecture focused on the development of Seabed Mining under the Law of the Sea Convention 1982 Part XI ‘The Area’ and what ‘Space Mining’ can do based on The Area development to ensure the safety and security aspects of future space mining.

Dita Liliansa delivered a presentation titled “Indonesia’s Archipelagic State Concept: History and Development” at the Workshop on Land, Sea, and Archipelago: The Conflict in the South China Sea and New Directions in Geopolitics (Hybrid, 8 June 2023).

The podcast episode can be accessed at the following link: https://cimsec.org/sea-control-434-can-indonesia-stop-the-transit-of-aukus-subs-with-dita-liliansa/

Prof Robert Beckman participated in a Roundtable Discussion on “Securing Digital Connectivity” Global Issues: Global Approach” at the ATxSummit.