COP28: how the law can unite and act to deliver the UN SDGs

Yasmin Batliwala, Chief Executive of A4ID, introduced the discussion and her thoughts on how important the legal profession is in fighting climate change – whether it is providing pro bono support to ensure access to justice for all, keeping abreast of new reporting requirements, paving the way as champions of best practice in international supply chains, climate finance arrangements and in marketing campaigns to mitigate the risks of greenwashing. 

Two panel discussions followed:

Panel 1: The role of the legal profession in enabling the energy transition

• Munir Hassan, CMS
• Tania Ghossein, World Bank
• Clare Burgess, Clifford Chance
• Paul Barker, Kirland & Ellis

Panel 2: How can the legal sector support a just transition for the benefit of societies as a whole?

• Roger Leese, Clifford Chance
• Mahmoud Shaarawy, HSA Group
• Professor Luis Gabriel Franceschi, The Commonwealth
• Charles Dolphin, CMS
• Vanessa Harvard-Williams, Linklaters

Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC COP28 Climate Law & Governance Initiative, shared her reflections in closing comments: the international obligations outlined in the UN SDGs are surrounded by international treaties and there is a lot we can do to foster the UN SDGs and the Paris Agreement. As a legal community, this is an opportunity for insight, inspiration and impact.