CONFERENCE PRESENTATION
The “Law in the Anthropocene” international symposium organized by environmental lawyers from the
SAGE laboratory (UMR 7363, University of Strasbourg), in partnership with the SFDE (Société Française pour le Droit de l’Environnement)
(Société Française pour le Droit de l’Environnement), which will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary on this occasion, explores the trajectory of environmental law in the era of the anthropocene.
law in the era of the Anthropocene, marked by the ecological footprint left on the planet by human activities.
the planet.
The symposium will provide a unique opportunity to bring together legal and non-legal researchers, legal professionals
students and civil society players to discuss current issues and future challenges in the environmental field.
environmental issues. Speakers include researchers, doctoral students, practitioners and academics.
The Anthropocene can be defined as an era during which human action produces irreversible
irreversible biogeochemical phenomena on a planetary scale. Placing the symposium in this conceptual context allows us to acknowledge both
the absence of human control over nature, and our responsibility for the state of degradation and pollution of the planet
(IPCC, IPBES, IUCN, OFB reports, etc.), but also the need to “transition” – without delay – towards
other modes of operation for our Western society. This of course raises thorny questions for legal experts
and future of environmental law. The much-publicized rise
of nature rights has reinforced this questioning. The reflections and discussions at this
the fundamental contributions and weaknesses of environmental protection law, should contribute to the
and weaknesses of environmental protection law, to suggest improvements and to explore in greater depth how the law can contribute to a democratic and peaceful ecological transition.
in democracy and peace to an ecological transition. In other words, a change of social model and modes of production and consumption
of production and consumption, made necessary by climate change, the collapse of biodiversity and the
other planetary limits.
The event is firmly rooted in a cross-disciplinary and intergenerational approach. It will
to reflect on the trajectory of this right. Young researchers in environmental law will have a major presence at the event.
its first national meetings (Wednesday morning). A number of prominent figures
(both academics and practitioners) will then testify to the rise and importance of this law
(Wednesday afternoon). There will also be a round-table discussion on the ecological transition with renowned representatives from the life, earth, human and social sciences.
from the life sciences, earth sciences, humanities and social sciences, which will set out some of the issues at stake and provide some answers to the question: “To emerge from the ecological transition: what makes sense?
makes sense? For an informed, specialized audience of environmental lawyers or those familiar with interdisciplinary issues, reflective
reflective seminars are planned to consider, from different angles, the law as a lever of change for a better
protection of the environment and socio-ecosystems.
A forum for debate and the sharing of experiences, these days will close with an open discussion led by doctoral students from the University of Strasbourg on “The (still) unsaid”.
This symposium is a major scientific event, a three-day work of memory, introspection and foresight.
over three days and will welcome a large number of participants. It also includes
cultural events such as a film/debate session, a poster exhibition on university research
practices and litigation strategies of associations, as well as a presentation of the exhibition
exhibition “Drawing the Law in the Anthropocene”.
Audience and participation
The symposium is primarily aimed at lawyers – students, researchers and practitioners – but more broadly at anyone interested in environmental issues, and in the role that law plays and could play in addressing them.
interested in environmental issues, and in the role that law plays and could play in the face of
ecological and climatic emergency. Some parts of the book are open to the general public, and all parts are open to an informed, interdisciplinary audience.
and open to interdisciplinarity, in particular to scientists (non-lawyers) from the Fédération de recherche sur l’Environnement et
l’Environnement et la durabilité (FERED), ENGEES and UMR SAGE at the University of Strasbourg.