On May 15 our Association’s expert Dr. Borys Babin participated online at event of the International Law Association Committee “International Law for the Sustainable Development Goals: Opportunities and Challenges in Turbulent Times” held in University of Lugano, Switzerland.
During the event expert Babin initiated discussion, devoted to events of Russian aggression against Ukraine and occupation of its territories, including the Crimea. Expert stressed on issues of international claims regarding Sustainable Development Goals’ issues in the framework of damage and compensation issues.
Dr. Babin added that now some cases are researched by the European Court of Human Rights, also as UN conventional bodies, with new challenges and decisions regarding subjects of relevant applications in the modern human rights dimension.
Expert added that those claims are often submitted by indigenous peoples and territorial communicies, including aspects of damage calculation and compensations.
Dr. Babin pointed out that some such cases are elaborated by our Association on aspects of violations of the right of sustainable development, caused by Russian aggression, including petition on environmental damage to the Crimea, submitted by Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People to UN bodies.
During discussion current experience of EU and other regional mechanisms was mentioned with the relevant examples.
Belgian professor from Leuven University Jan M.F. Wouters, Jean Monnet Chair stressed on that issue that international non-governmental organisations must play a more active role in aid to indigenous and communities in those claims and petitions submission.
Italian researcher Ilaria Colombo from Bocconi University stressed that relevant activity of indigenous peoples in international regional courts, also as in the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is important.
Tejas Rao, Researcher at the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge, stressed that relevant procedural activities may be realised also under the mechanisms, established by Paris Agreement and Conventional Biological Diversity. Our cooperation on that issue with world-level think-tanks and academic institutions will be continued.
