A Mandate for All: the Legal and Civic Imperative to Confront the Climate Emergency
The future of our planet calls for action, and this is the moment to stand alongside those shaping real solutions to the climate crisis.
The cities of Belém, Rio de Janeiro, and New York will simultaneously host a landmark international event, organized by FGV Rio Law and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, on November 12 and 13. The event will bring together global leaders, renowned jurists, leading scientists, representatives of Indigenous peoples, youth activists, and public officials.
The conference “A Mandate for All: The Legal and Civic Imperative to Confront the Climate Emergency” will gather experts from diverse fields to discuss the challenges and legal solutions to the climate crisis, strengthening global cooperation around the greatest urgency of our time: confronting the climate emergency with courage, innovation, and justice.
Over the course of two dynamic days, participants will engage in debates, panels, and international exchanges addressing issues from the accelerating climate crisis to the role of cities, companies, courts, and traditional communities in building a sustainable future.
Joining this event is a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of climate and legal transformation, exchange experiences with international experts, connect with global impact networks, and bring new ideas and practices to strengthen your community, institution, or organization.
Secure your place and be part of this movement that unites law, science, civil society, and youth in a common call: to act now for the planet.
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09 a.m. to 09:30 a.m.: Welcome Coffee and Registration
09:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Welcome Remarks
- Antônio Maristrello Porto | Vice Dean of FGV Rio Law
- Horace Anderson | Dean of Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
- Jorge Alex Nunes Athias | Silveira & Athias Law Firm
10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.: Keynote Addresses
- Selwin Charles Hart | UN Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition
- Peggy Shepard | Executive Director at We Act
10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
First Panel: The Accelerating Climate Crisis
Moderator: Achinthi Vithanage | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Panelists:
- Carlos Nobre | Brazilian Climate Scientist
- Dr. Brendan Mackey | Griffith University
- Youth Commentator: Ashley Gentile | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Second Panel: The International Law of State Responsibility for Climate
Moderator: Prof. Dr. Bharat Desai | Humbolt Award Professor, Bonn University, Germany
Panelists:
- Prof. Christina Voigt | Chair, IUCN Commission on Environmental law, (Norway, Norway
UN International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion
- Prof. Camilla Bustos | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Inter-American Court of Human Rights Advisory Opinion
- Youth Commentator: Maria Lambert | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Lunch Break
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Third Panel: Cities & Climate Change – Taking the actions needed
Moderator: Prof. David Cassuto | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Panelists:
- Ilan Cuperstin | Rio de Janeiro City Hall
- Brad Lander | New York City Comptroller
- Igor Normando | Mayor of Belém City Hall
- Ryan Rowberry | Professor of Georgia State University
- Youth Commentator: Daniel Calarco | International Youth Watch (OIJ)
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Fourth Panel: Indigenous Peoples: Defending their rights as a climate issue
- Moderator: Isabel Veloso | FGV Rio Law
Panelists:
- Ken Ahmann | Colusa Indian Energy
- Ibraim Rocha | State Attorney of Pará
- Werner Grau | Pinheiro Neto Law Firm
- Youth Commentator: Kimberly Silva | International Youth Watch
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fifth Panel: Networking to Magnify Effectiveness
Moderator: Prof. Michael Hamersky | Executive Director, Pace Energy and Climate Center
Panelists:
- Dr. Gustavo Alanis | Mexican Environmental Law Center
Duties and Public Participation Escazu and Aarhus Agreements
- Hunter Lovins | Natural Capitalism Solutions
- Youth Commentator: Samira Ben Ali | World’s Youth for Climate Justice
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sixth Panel: Just Transition
-Moderator: Lonnie Portis | We Act, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs
Panelists:
- Eric Walker | We Act, Energy Justice Senior Policy Manager
- Immaculata Casimero | Wapichan Wiizi Women’s Movement, Co-Founder
- Youth Commentator: Dominique Calanas | Grassroots Justice Network, Program Officer
Closing Remarks
- Nicholas Robinson | Elisabeth Haub School of Law
- Rômulo Sampaio | FGV Rio Law
- Jessie Owley | Miami Law
5:30 p.m.
Cocktail Reception | Belém, Rio de Janeiro and New York
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09 a.m. to 09:30 a.m.: Welcome Coffee and Registration
09:30 a.m. to 09:50 a.m. : Welcome Remarks
- Rômulo Sampaio | FGV Rio Law
- Pedro Bentes | Silveira & Athias Law Firm
- Roger Martella | American Bar Association
- Michael Wilson | Supreme Court of Hawaii
- Katrina Kuh | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
- Sávio Barreto | Pará Bar Association
09:50 a.m. to 11 a.m.
First Panel: The role of the judiciary in the climate agenda
Moderator: James R. May | Washburn University School of Law
Panelists:
- Vinicius Lameira Bernardo | Public Prosecutor at the Public Prosecution Office of the State of Rio de Janeiro (ABRAMPA)
- Júlio Borges | Attorney General's Office (AGU)
- Fernanda Tanure | BMA Law Firm
- Luc Lavrysen | European Union Forum for Judges for Environment
- Youth Commentator: Umair Saleem | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Second Panel: Corporate Climate Action: Accountability and the Path to Net Zero
Moderator: Rômulo Sampaio | FGV Rio Law
Panelists:
- Tiago Moura | NewFields
- Márcio Pereira | BMA Law Firm
- Alessandra Lehmen | Co-Chair, Climate Law and Governance Initiative
- Fábio Flores | Silveira & Athias Law Firm
- João Irineu | Stellantis
- Youth Commentator: Carington Lowe | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
12 p.m. to 01 p.m.: Lunch Break
01 p.m. to 02 p.m.
Third Panel: Outcomes of IUCN World Conservation Congress October in Abu Dhabi
Moderator: David Forman | University of Hawaii
Panelists:
- Prof. Richard L. Ottinger | Energy & Climate
- Jojo Mehta | Stop Ecocide International
- Achinthi Vithanage | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
- Youth Commentator: Isabela Vasconcelos Chelou | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Fourth Panel: Public attorney´s perspective on the climate change agenda
- Moderator: Rômulo Sampaio | FGV Rio Law
Panelists:
- Leonardo Quintanilha | State Attorney of Rio de Janeiro at the State Institute for the Environment (INEA)
- Rafael Daudt | State Attorney of Rio de Janeiro
- Youth Commentator: Mackenzie Scheurman | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Fifth Panel: Bar Associations & Lawyers Ensuring that Climate Duties are Fulfilled
- Moderator: Achinthi Vithanage | Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Panelists:
- Leticia Perrone Campos Mello | Brazil Federal Bar Association (Live in Rio)
- Maggie Pahl | American Bar Association
- Steven Richman | International Bar Association, Bar Issues Commission
- Andres Dulanto Tello | Lima Bar Association
- Sam Bokman | Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice
- Flavio Ahmed | Rio de Janeiro State Bar Association
Youth Commentator: Samuel Fonseca De Carvalho | Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sixth Panel: Climate Restoration
Moderator: Barbara J. Bramble | NWF Counsel Ret.
Panelists:
- Dr. Ramakrishna Kilaparti | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, United States
- Dr. Brendan Mackey | Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
- Dr. Ken Buessler | ExOIS Program at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Peter Fiekowski | Founder of Foundation for Climate Restoration
California, United States
Youth Commentator: Maria Clara Fernandes | FGV Rio Law
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Seventh Panel: Climate Finance: Challenges and Opportunities
- Moderator: Paula Duarte | FGV Rio Law
Panelists:
- Joaquim Levy | Director of Economic Strategy and Market Relations at Safra Bank
- João Daniel Sá | Silveira & Athias Law Firm
- Markus Gehring | Cambridge University
- Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger | Cambridge University
- Youth Commentator: Akinola Afolarin | Pace Energy & Climate Center, Elizabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
05:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Closing Remarks from COP30
- Fábio Flores | Silveira & Athias Law Firm
- Prof. David Cassuto | Elizabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
- Prof. Rômulo Sampaio | FGV Rio Law