On Friday, 20 January 2023, the Institute for Law and Governance hosted a very well attended conference on “Environmental Defenders – Current Legal Developments and Practice”. The speakers comprised a broad range of international and national experts from various disciplinary and professional backgrounds, including UN Officials and European Commission staff, academics and representatives of NGOs.

Many speakers offered insights into the often-existential threats Environmental Defenders face across the globe, including through so-called SLAPPs (strategic litigation against public participation) but also other forms of intimidation and violence. Others presented international instruments for the protection of Environmental Defenders, such as the Aarhus Rapid Response Mechanism for Environmental Defenders or the Escazú Agreement and the EU’s Anti-SLAPP package. The concluding panel explored the phenomenon of civil disobedience from both a conceptual and empirical perspective. In lively and inspiring discussions, speakers and audience further explored the role of the law, its institutions, and its importance in protecting Environmental Defenders.