Second Meeting of the Global Judicial Institute for the Environment (GJIE)

19 - 21 May 2017

Event Tabs

AJNE was represented in the Second Meeting of the Global Judicial Institute for the Environment (GJIE) by Justice I Gusti Agung Sumanatha of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, and Senior Judge Zhang Hua of the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China. The event was supported by ADB and organized by the World Commission on Environmental Law, the United Nations Environment Programme, the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, the International Association of Judges, and other partners, with the support of Brazilian judicial institutions. The main objectives of the meeting were to draft and approve the Bylaws of the Institute and to develop an Action Plan for the next two years.


Photos published and used with the permission of the Prof. Nick Bryner.

Thursday, May 18

 
09:00 - 10:00

Arrival of Participants in Brasília (Airport Pickup will be Provided)

 

Friday, May 19

 
8:15 - 9:00

Venue: National High Court of Brazil (STJ)

Bus Departs From Hotel to Transport Meeting Participants to the Court

 
09:00 – 09:30

Opening

Welcoming Remarks: Justice Antonio Herman Benjamin (National High Court of Brazil – STJ)

  • Introduction of Meeting Participants
  • Review of the Meeting Agenda
  • Preview of Associated GJIE Event — Regional Judicial Colloquium on Constitutions, Environment, and Human Rights: Practice And Implementation (May 22-23, Brasília)

Documents for Discussion: Meeting Agenda

Expected Outcome: Approval of the Meeting Agenda

 
9:30 – 10:00

Presentation of the Charter for the Global Judicial Institute for the Environment
Overview of the Charter as Adopted in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Including an Outline of the Purpose, Objectives, and Activities Envisioned for the GJIE.

 
10:00 – 11:00

Structure of the GJIE

Discussion On Visions For The Structure And Function Of The Gjie. Presentation Of Ideas For Potential "Models" for the GJIE, such as:

  • Developing the Gjie Through an International, Inter-Organizational Cooperative Agreement Among Partner Institutions such as the ADB, IAJ, OAS, UN Environment, and WCEL
  • Incorporating the GJIE as a Separate Entity, as a Non-Profit Organization Under the Laws of Switzerland or Another Country

Meeting participants will be encouraged to discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of each option, taking into account the need for a governance structure that assures self-governance by the judiciary and contains the necessary safeguards for respecting its independence and integrity: a GJIE for judges and by judges.

Documents for Discussion: Draft Statute for Incorporation of GJIE, GJIE Charter

Expected Outcome: Selection of Model for Legal Personality and Country where GJIE will be Incorporated

 
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee Break
 
11:30–13:00

GJIE Secretariat

Discussion and approval of a call for “expressions of interest” from potential host institutions or organizations that could support a secretariat for the gjie, on either a temporary or permanent basis. a draft of this document will be circulated to meeting participants, explaining the purpose and objectives of the gjie, and details on the support and structure that the gjie would seek for in a secretariat. once approved, it can be sent to chief justices, national judicial schools, universities, research institutions, international organizations, etc. to solicit expressions of interest.

Documents for Discussion: Draft Call for Expressions of Interest

Expected Outcome: Approval Call for Expressions of Interest, to be sent as soon as possible after the meeting

 
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch
 
14:30 – 16:00

GJIE Membership

Discussion on various aspects of individual and institutional membership in the GJIE, such as:

  • How to publicize, recruit, and promote membership in the GJIE
  • Potential ways in which individual members and institutional members can contribute to the GJIE
  • Responsibilities of members

Meeting participants will also be encouraged to identify and put forward a process for forming the initial core membership of the gjie, including individuals and judicial institutions.

Documents for Discussion: List of judges participating in GJIE meetings and consultations

Expected Outcome: Approve initial GJIE membership list

 
16:00–17:00

Open Dialogue

Dialogue to synthesize meeting participants’ ideas as to the structure, secretariat, and membership of the GJIE. The intent of this discussion is to review the deliberations from the day’s topics, as a framework for the rest of the meeting.

 
17:00–17:30
Closing
 
17:30–21:00
Depart for Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

(3 hour drive by bus: luggage brought to STJ by Participants will have been previously loaded on bus)

 
21:00-21:15
Arrive at National Park (Lodging at Pousada São Bento and Pousada Casa Rosa, Alto Paraíso de Goiás
 
21:15

Dinner

 

Saturday, May 20

Venue: [Lodge] Pousada São Bento, Alto Paraíso de Goiás

 
7:15-8:00

Breakfast

 
8:00–10:00

Governance of the GJIE: Selection of an Interim Governing Council and Judicial Advisory Board

During this session, meeting participants will discuss and approve the formation of two bodies that can move forward the work of the GJIE. the interim governing council, as envisioned in the GJIE charter, would be the initial officers of the institute for a period of two years, responsible for overseeing its incorporation and/or agreeing on a document for inter-organizational cooperation to set the work of the GJIE in motion. in addition, a broader judicial advisory board will be established to provide input, guidance, and support for the activities of the GJIE.

Documents for Discussion: Initial mandate for work of interim governing council and judicial advisory board

Expected Outcome: Approve selection of interim governing council and judicial advisory board

 
10:00-10:30
Coffee Break
 
10:30-12:30
Governance (continued)
 
12:30-13:30
Lunch
 
13:30-18:30

Depart for Site Visit to Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, hosted by the Director of the Park

 
18:30
Dinner
 

Sunday, May 21

 
7:15-8:00
Breakfast
 
8:00-9:30

GJIE Activities and Partnerships

This segment of the meeting is intended as time for discussing GJIE activities and how to integrate the institute’s work with existing initiatives and efforts at engaging the judiciary on environmental issues.

Discussion will highlight recent past events and how those could be enhanced by coordination with the GJIE; upcoming activities related to judicial training, capacity building, etc., that are related to the GJIE’s work and are being planned by one or more GJIE partners; and dialogue on planning new GJIE activities, along the lines of the examples in article iv of the GJIE charter.

Upcoming events for discussion [additional events to be added to this list]:

  • July 3-4, 2017: International Colloquium in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (program to be distributed). This will be the first program of its kind organized with the support of the GJIE for a Francophone country, in partnership with WCEL, UN Environment, the Supreme Court of the DRC, and others.
  • March 18-23, 2018: World Water Forum, Brasília, Brazil (http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/forum/brasilia-2018/) opportunities for the GJIE to participate include portions of the political forum as well as a 2-day side event

In addition, the meeting participants can focus on additional opportunities for collaboration with GJIE partners, including national judicial schools, institutes, and academies, the International Association of Judges, EU Forum on Judges for the Environment, Asian Development Bank, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, Organization of American States, UN Environment, academic institutions, and other relevant organizations.

For example, this could include discussion on updating the un environment judges’ handbook on environmental law; collaborating with the oas on its capacity-building programs; etc

Documents for Discussion: programs for upcoming activities

Expected Outcome: approve plans for upcoming events, collect ideas/priorities for inclusion in future trainings, proposals of activities for consideration by interim governing council

 
9:30-10:30

GJIE Funding

Discussion on which aspects of the GJIE’s work need dedicated financial resources, and on possible models for funding, such as:

Application for grants or other resources from international institutions and organizations

Member dues

Support from National Judicial Institutions

Expected Outcome: approval of directives for interim governing council and partners in obtaining funding to support GJIE activities

 
10:30-11:00

Coffee Break

 
11:00-12:00

Review of Actions and Decisions Taken at the Meeting / Planning for the Next GJIE Meeting

 
12:00-12:30

Concluding Remarks

 
12:30-14:00

Lunch

 
14:00-18:00

Depart for Site Visit to Chapada Dos Veadeiros National Park

 
18:00-18:30

Return to Brasilia