Polar Law Symposium Call for Presentations

The 12^th Polar Law Symposium, to be held at IMAS in Hobart this December, is now calling for presentations.

This will be the second time the event has been held in Tasmania, following the successful 7th Symposium held in 2014. (Image, right, Shutterstock)

Academics, students and legal practitioners from around the world are expected to attend the symposium, with a wide range of topics for discussion to include: developments in polar law, polar marine resources, climate law, the Antarctic Treaty system, and Asian interests in polar affairs.

IMAS Senior Lecturer Dr Julia Jabour is helping to organise the Symposium in collaboration with the Polar Law Institute (University of Akureyri, Iceland), the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law – Arctic Centre (University of Lapland, Finland), and the University of the Arctic and its Arctic Law Thematic Network (Finland).

Dr Jabour said the Polar Law Symposium is rich with case material from the Arctic and Antarctic that has universal application, particularly for Australia as the Antarctic is a polar region located in our neighbourhood and is a high political responsibility.

“Polar law and policy are becoming increasingly significant as more countries build their research presence in and around the Antarctic to understand climate change, and there's increasing global pressure to access resources like fisheries and minerals in areas like the Poles,” Dr Jabour said.

“To be held from 1 to 4 December, the 2019 event will be just the second time the symposium has been held outside the Northern Hemisphere, both times at IMAS.

“It promotes a healthy exchange of information and ideas, along with valuable networking experiences for a diverse group of people who have few opportunities to meet in person.”

Potential contributors are invited to submit abstracts for oral presentations on one of the nominated symposium themes or a topic of their own choice via the Symposium website.