The past few years have seen striking developments in international human rights law, in the concept of rights of nature, as well as around a new crime of ecocide, at both national and international levels. Significant attention to the legacies of colonialism and slavery has revealed the extent to which the ecological crisis is a racial justice crisis. Attention to the devastating ecological impact of war, meanwhile, is breathing new life into underused elements of the law of armed conflict.

This year, 2024, marks a high point as we anticipate advisory opinions from three international courts on state obligations in the face of climate change: the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, and the International Court of Justice. The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, meanwhile, is preparing his first ever policy on environmental crimes.

Please join us and leading voices from across these initiatives at our conference to explore the Promise of International Law in the Face of Ecological Crises, from May 27-29 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The official launch of The UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe will take place during the conference opening ceremony in the evening of May 27th.

The launch of the Promise Institute Europe marks a new commitment to addressing our most pressing human rights challenges, engaging UCLA students, faculty and research more directly with the institutions of international law and human rights in Europe. We are delighted to be collaborating in this endeavour with the University of Amsterdam, our co-organiser for this conference. The UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe and the University of Amsterdam Law School are honoured to be partnering with the Republic of Vanuatu, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and a host of esteemed academic collaborators to bring this conference to life.

!!! If any of the days you wish to attend are sold out, please send an email to thepromiseconference@gmail.com to be added to the waiting list. Please use "Waiting List Promise Conference" as the subject line and don't forget to specify which day(s) you would like to attend."

The Promise of International Law in the Face of Ecological Crises