Middlesex University Dubai Hosts Annual CLGI Climate Law and Governance Day with Cambridge University

Middlesex University Dubai hosted the 2023 Climate Law and Governance Day (CLGD 2023) on Tuesday, 5th December in conjunction with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP28) held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12.

Organised by the Climate Law and Governance Initiative (CLGI), Middlesex University Dubai, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Dubai, alongside other valued CLGI partners, the day-long event unfolded at Middlesex University Dubai’s Knowledge Park Campus and was virtually broadcast worldwide.

Building upon the legacy of CLGI events co-hosted during each COP since COP11 in Montreal (2005), CLGD 2023 provided a platform for engagement, discussion, debate, and decision-making on climate law and governance. Themed 'Engaging in Global Stocktake through Legal Lenses,' the symposium aimed to connect students, attendees, and partners with COP28 delegates and leading climate law and governance experts to advance the goals of the Paris Agreement and contribute to building a sustainable society.

Professor Marie-Claire Cordonnier Segger, Executive Secretary of CLGI and Visiting Chair, University of Cambridge said: “During this Climate Law and Governance Day, we are expanding on and creating new partnerships, and sharing knowledge in order to galvanise and harness the power of law for the global response of climate change. Every single one of the 16 substantive sessions at CLGD were co-hosted by incredible organisations who are world leaders in their areas. The event as always had a diverse and rich agenda which allows leaders of different organisations who are in Dubai for COP 28 to come together to share their solutions.

Right now we don't have the capacity to implement the Paris Agreement. We barely have the capacity to comply with it. And so as much as possible, Climate Law and Governance Day is about implementation and about compliance. It's about finding ways to be able to connect to the people who have the expertise in this emerging area with law students, law professors, and practitioners who are willing to consider developing specialisations to help their countries and the world reach our climate change goals.”

Middlesex University Dubai, the largest UK university in Dubai according to the KHDA, was a fitting location for this significant event. The campus, spanning four blocks of Dubai Knowledge Park, boasts state-of-the-art classrooms for hybrid learning, labs for Graphic Design, Robotics, Engineering, VR, Cybersecurity, and Fashion Design, along with the MDX Social Hub, featuring a Dance Studio, Gaming Room, and more. Middlesex University Dubai also has a second campus in Dubai Academic City and is the first UK branch university in the UAE with a campus in each of the city’s higher education hubs.

In preparation for the event, which had over 1000 virtual registrations and 700 in-person registrations, the campus was transformed to welcome the delegates. Each lecture hall was renamed after previous COP locations: Glasgow, Marrakesh, Rio De Janeiro, Bali, and Montreal.

The event's four key themes included operationalising the Paris Agreement in International Law, testing legal and governance tools for high-ambition implementation, advancing climate resilience and justice, and developing net-zero legal frameworks to enable climate-neutral investment and finance.

Dr Markus Gehring, Associate Professor at Cambridge University, and former Director of the Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS), commented: “Climate Law and Governance Day is an international opportunity to discuss and shape one of the most vibrant and fast-moving fields of law. COP28 in Dubai will not only take stock of global efforts but also highlight where new efforts in law and governance will be needed. The discussions at CLGD will now literally shape the future.”

The day commenced with a grand opening featuring Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger; Professor Cody Morris Paris, Deputy Director at Middlesex University Dubai and Head of the MDX Business School; Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University and Director of Middlesex University Dubai; and Dr Nasiruddeen Muhammad, Assistant Professor at the University of Dubai. During her opening address, Professor Marie-Claire gave a sobering reminder that this is the last COP where we as a global society retain a chance of keeping to the Paris targets. She emphasised that the law is front and centre of the environmental challenge. Now that law on climate change is being brought into the courts, we need our students and future policymakers to understand how pivotal their future work will be.   

During the first High-Level Plenary of the day, Taking Stock of Legal Progress on Climate Change, chaired by Adv Wendy Miles KC, Laureate, CLG Global Leadership Award; and Adv Douglas Leys KC, Laureate, CLG Global Leadership Award and Senior Fellow, CISDL, we heard from keynote speaker Professor Payam Akhavan, who warned of the ticking clock threatening the future of small island states, who have been losing landmass under the rising seas. He stressed the importance of not only using the law to make immediate change, but to see these small states as a warning and prominent glimpse of a global future. In that same panel, we heard from Professor David Boyd, UN Rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment, who explored climate law through a human rights lens.
The conference then broke away into concurrent sessions, including expert panels, roundtable discussions, and workshops covering diverse topics like legal progress on climate change, technology transfer under the Paris Agreement, and protecting the rights of future generations.

Middlesex University Dubai hosted its own session: Promoting Public and Private Contributions to Legal and Financial Frameworks for UAE’s 2050 Net Zero Transition Experts Panel, chaired by Dr Sreejith Balasubramanian, Associate Professor and Head of the MDX Centre for Supply Chain Research; and Mahine Rizvi Ahmad, Senior Lecturer in Law and Politics and member of the MDX Institute for Sustainable Development.

During this session, experts focused on how private sector companies access financing and capital to support sustainability initiatives in alignment with net zero goals, and how businesses ensure transparency and accountability in reporting their sustainability initiatives.

A central theme of the event that was explored during the whole conference was the responsibilities of financial institutions concerning their adherence to the Paris Agreement, with a specific focus on the perspectives of key Multilateral Development Banks. General Counsels from prominent institutions such as the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank contributed insights, emphasising the transition to a Green Economy and regulatory reforms. Notably, discussions also revolved around debt relief provisions designed to support developing countries affected by climate change.

Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University and Director of Middlesex University Dubai said: “The outcomes from the discussions on our campus today will carry significant weight in shaping future decisions on the climate crisis. It is our responsibility as a leading university to contribute not only on behalf of our students but also for the betterment of our community and the general global landscape. Being part of this crucial conversation is an honour that underscores our commitment as a university to addressing the pressing challenges of environmental sustainability. It is worth highlighting that even the lanyards worn today were created from recycled materials by our BA Hons Fashion Design students, who are taught throughout their curriculum about the importance of sustainable consumption and design. The day may be over, but we will continue strong in our mission to align our objectives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the greater good.”

The closing ceremony featured the announcement of the 2023 Global Climate Law and Governance Leadership Awards. The event aimed to inspire continued commitment to climate action and foster collaboration among governments, institutions, and individuals dedicated to addressing the challenges posed by climate change. 
As the international community reflects on the outcomes of CLGD 2023, the legacy of collaboration and commitment to addressing climate change continues. The exchange of ideas and best practices during the symposium will contribute significantly to global efforts for a sustainable and resilient future.

For more information about the sustainable initiatives happening at Middlesex University Dubai, please check out our MDX Sustainable Development Initiative page here: https://mdx.ac.ae/isd