Call for papers

We invite papers that engage critically, comparatively or normatively with themes such as the following: 

Judicial Advisory Pathways And Environmental Futures 

The advisory opinions of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on climate change; Impact of advisory opinions on negotiations of the plastic treaty and the annual Conference of the Parties (COP); Right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; Procedural innovations in environmental litigation (e.g., standing for nature or future generations); Role of youth, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and environmental human rights defenders in driving legal action. 

Climate Justice, Intergenerational Equity And Reparations 

Loss and damage, just transition, and climate-induced displacement; Reparations for historical pollutions; Tools to advance intergenerational justice; North-South international cooperation to protect the climate system; Role of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.  

Trade And Investment In A Warming World  

Reform of trade and investment regimes to align with climate goals; Carbon border adjustment mechanisms and environmental tariffs; Addressing the Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanism’s regulatory chill on protection of human rights and the environment. 
  

Ecological Integrity And Food Security  

Governance of terrestrial and marine biodiversity; Humans’ relation to nature; Ecomanagement; Food security; Food transition; Land grabbing and local sustainable farming. 
   

Ocean Governance  

Compliance with UNCLOS and customary law obligations; State responsibility and reparations in the law of the sea; Implementation of the United Nations Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction; Plastics pollution treaty; WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement; Governance of marine biodiversity; Human rights-based regulation of deep-sea mining.  
  

Business Responsibility And Accountability  

Accountability of fossil fuel companies; Environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks and human rights due diligence laws; Environmental liability and greenwashing; Private environmental governance and human rights.

Indigenous Knowledge, Legal Pluralism And Gender Perspectives  

Legal protections for Indigenous knowledge, customs and environmental governance; Integrating Indigenous customary law in climate policy; Gender-responsive law/policy making and governance.

Submission Guidance 

• Email an abstract (max 250 words) along with a short bio (max 100 words) to CEL@mq.edu.au by 7 November 2025. 
• The authors of the selected abstracts will be notified by 21 November 2025. 
• Draft papers for presentation at the conference should be submitted by 28 February 2026.