Centre for Law & the Environment Researchers Participate at EELF Annual Conference 2021
Rhoda Jennings and Alison Hardiman (PhD Candidates at the School of Law) and Professor 脕ine Ryall participated at the 8th European Environmental Law Forum (EELF) Annual Conference hosted online by Bournemouth 深夜亚洲福利久久 from 8-10 September 2021.
The conference theme was Social and Scientific Uncertainties in Environmental Law.
Rhoda Jennings presented on 鈥楽cientific Uncertainty for Legislative Action: The Science of the Precautionary Principle in the European Union鈥�. Her paper explored the precautionary principle, a legal rule used to transform scientific uncertainty into data that can be used in policy making and legislation. It analysed how the science of the principle has been interpreted by the European Courts in environmental law cases. Rhoda鈥檚 PhD research is supervised by Professor Owen McIntyre and Professor Mark Poustie and is funded by an Irish Research Council / EPA postgraduate scholarship.
Alison Hardiman addressed 鈥楾he Role of Public Participation in the Project Authorisation Process for Renewable Energy Infrastructure鈥�. She argues that in order to develop the infrastructure needed to achieve mandatory climate action targets, more defined policy guidelines are required within the project authorisation process. Particular focus is afforded to the need for specific provisions regarding pre-planning public consultation between developers and host communities designed with the aim of achieving better projects in accordance with the objectives underpinning the Aarhus Convention. Alison鈥檚 PhD research is sponsored by EirGrid and her supervisors are Professor Owen McIntyre and Professor Mark Poustie.
脕ine Ryall鈥檚 contribution focussed on 鈥業nterrogating Judicial Review of Environmental Decision-making in Ireland鈥�. Her presentation highlighted the sharp tension between the deferential standard of judicial review applied by the Irish courts (the 翱鈥橩别别蹿蹿别 principles) and the obligation under EU law to provide effective judicial protection and effective remedies in the field of environmental law. The standard of review has proven to be highly resistant to the influence of EU law to date. She argues for a more intensive standard of review, particularly in the case of Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive.
脕ine Ryall was also invited to participate in an expert Roundtable Discussion on the theme 鈥楽cientific Uncertainties in the Habitats Directive Regime before National Courts鈥� during the conference.
Conference website: