Webinar: Civil Society Submissions in Investor-State Arbitration
Date: February 6, 2018, 7:00am-8.30am EST/ 12:00pm-1:30pm GMT
Location: Webinar
Presented by: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI)
CCSI and IIED hosted a webinar on February 6, 2018, to discuss how civil society groups can bring forward community perspectives, human rights, and environmental issues in investor-state arbitration. This online seminar was designed for civil society organizations in low- and middle-income countries that want to support communities whose livelihoods are affected by natural resource projects.
Speakers:
- Lorenzo Cotula, Principal Researcher, IIED
- Carlos Lopez, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
- Lise Johnson, CCSI
- Derechos Humanos y Medio Ambiente Puno (DHUMA) [TBC]
- IIED associate Thierry Berger will moderate a facilitated discussion with webinar participants.
Questions for discussion:
- Why make amicus curiae submissions in investor-state proceedings?
- How was the submission by Carlos Lopez and DHUMA in Bear Creek v. Peru developed, who participated and in what ways?
- What were the challenges and how were they addressed? What difference did the submission make, if any?
- What insights can the experience provide for civil society working to scrutinize investment treaties and arbitration – which approaches can maximize the effectiveness of these submissions, and what alternative or complementary pathways should be explored?
- What learnings, if any, can be applied to ongoing discussions on reforming investor-state dispute settlement?