Global Environmental Law at a Crossroads
July 1-5, 2012
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
500 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
The year 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment and the 20th anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit. But when world leaders gather for the “Rio+20” conference in June, they will face a markedly different climate than during their previous gatherings. Despite rising concern for the environment, efforts to advance global environmental governance are facing headwinds in the wake of the global financial crisis and the failure to reach consensus on a post-Kyoto response to climate change. The IUCN’s 10th Annual Colloquium will consider alternative future paths for the development of global environmental law and governance in the aftermath of the UN’s “Rio+20” Conference. Among the highlights of the Colloquium will be:
- More than 150 presentations from experts from more than 30 countries
- Opening dinner and keynote address by Professor Edith Brown Weiss at the National Aquarium Baltimore
- Pre-colloquium workshops on ecosystem services and global environmental law clinics
- Post-colloquium reception and program at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.
- Optional excursions to Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge, Baltimore Orioles Major League Baseball game, Independence Day Fireworks Display and Crab Cruise on Baltimore Harbor
- International winetasting and environmental film festival
For more information, please contact Suzann Langrall, Coordinator, Environmental Law Program at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 410-706-4529
Click here for the Program (PDF) – Updated 6/26/12
Registration
IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ THIS SECTION BEFORE REGISTERING FOR THE COLLOQUIUM.
Accommodations
We have arranged for fantastic rates at two nearby hotels. You will need to reserve your hotel room directly through their website (as opposed to the conference registration website). To book your hotel, please use the following links in order to obtain the special group rates.
Fees
The registration fee covers:
- entrance to all plenary and workshop sessions and most entertainment
- a conference bag, printed abstracts and program documentation (Guests and Significant Other/Spouses do not receive these items)
- daily coffee, lunch, and some dinners as noted on the schedule of events and registration page.
Only bona fide full-time students may register at the student rate. Proof of student status is required.
Guests, Significant Others and Spouses must please register in their own right.
OECD Member Countries | Registration Fee |
IUCN Academy members | $475.00 |
Non-IUCN Academy members | $625.00 |
Student Fee | $275.00 |
Guest or Significant Other/Spouse | $350.00 |
Daily rate July 2nd (including Opening Dinner at the National Aquarium Baltimore) | $200.00 |
Daily rate July 2nd (not including opening Dinner Event at the National Aquarium Baltimore) | $150.00 |
Daily rate July 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th | $150.00 |
Non-OCED member, Enhanced engagement and Accession Countries | Registration Fee |
IUCN Academy members | $275.00 |
Non-IUCN Academy members | $320.00 |
Student Fee | $171.00 |
Guest or Significant Other/Spouse | $100.00 |
Daily rate July 2nd (including Opening Dinner at the National Aquarium Baltimore) | $83.00 |
Daily rate July 2nd (not including opening Dinner Event at the National Aquarium Baltimore) | $83.00 |
Daily rate July 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th | $83.00 |
Payment
Payment by major credit card (Visa, Discover, American Express) is highly preferred. We are also capable of accepting wire transfers or ACH payments. Our registration page will guide you through our payment options.
If a delegate fails to attend without giving written notice to the Secretariat as described in our Refund Policy below, the delegate/organization will still be liable for payment of the full conference costs, should it still be outstanding.
Refund policy: registration fees will be refunded upon written notice received by the Secretariat on or before 1 June 2012, less a 70.00 USD administration fee. After 1 June 2012, no fees will be refunded, but can be transferred to another person from the same organization.
Special Events
- Opening Dinner at the National Aquarium Baltimore on the evening of July 2nd, 2012
- Environmental Law Film Presentations during the early evening hours of July 3rd, 2012
- International Wine Tasting during the late evening hours of July 3rd, 2012
Optional Events
- Informal Reception and Baseball Game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards ($30) on the afternoon of July 1st, 2012
- Crab Cruise and Independence Day Fireworks Display ($80) on the evening of July 4th, 2012
- Field Trip to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Patuxent Research Refuge Facility ($20) on the afternoon of July 5th, 2012
REGISTER NOW »
Special Events
The following events are included in the regular registration fee:
Opening Dinner at the National Aquarium Baltimore
On July 2nd, we will hold the Opening Dinner and Keynote Address at the National Aquarium Baltimore where we have reserved the Pier 3 building along with its exhibits for this private event. You’ll be able to mingle, explore and eat from 7:00-11:00pm. The keynote address will be given at approximately 8:00pm in the auditorium of the National Aquarium Baltimore. All colloquium registrants are welcomed and encouraged to attend. There will be no extra charge for this event except for those who register at the daily rate for July 2nd. University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law students will be leading walking tours of the Inner Harbor en route to the dinner beginning at the hotels at approximately 6:00pm. If you are interested in this walking tour, there will be a signup sheet at the registration table.
Environmental Law Film Presentations
For nearly a decade, students in Professor Percival's Environmental Law class have enjoyed an unusual assignment: to split up into small groups and make a short film about an environmental issue that concerns them. The purpose of the ungraded assignment is to make students think about how to communicate complicated regulatory policy issues to the public. With the rise of You Tube and other new media outlets, digital video-making has become a valuable tool for influencing public opinion. This year, Colloquium attendees are encouraged to submit films of their own or sponsor films for submission that are created by their students or other non-attendees in their organization to be presented on the evening of July 3rd, 2012. For examples of student-made films from previous years, please visit the Digital Commons. Film submissions must be limited to 6 minutes in length and are due by June 15th. Please upload your film onto YouTube and email the link to Jill Smith (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
International Wine Tasting: Wine – Nature’s Thanks for Preserving the Earth
Every autumn for the last 20 years, the Environmental Law Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law has hosted a Wine Tasting Party which serves as a reunion for alums of The Program and a great networking opportunity, as well. In 2012, in honour of hosting the IUCN AEL Colloquium, we will have two Wine Tasting Parties – one of which will be on July 3rd. We hope you will join us for an evening of fine wines from across the globe. Feel free to bring a bottle of wine from your country to share!
Optional Activities
The following events are being offered for an additional fee as noted:
Informal Reception and Baseball Game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
To understand Baltimore culture, it’s almost a pre-requisite to attend a Major League Baseball Game with the Baltimore Orioles. In an effort to introduce you to our culture, we would like you to join us for an American-Style Cook-Out Reception behind the bullpen at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sunday, July 1st immediately prior to watching the Orioles face the Cleveland Indians. This option will cost $35 per person.
Crab Cruise and Independence Day Fireworks Display
On July 4th, we hope you will join us for a traditional, All-American Independence Day Celebration (a fireworks display at the very location where Francis Scott Key wrote our National Anthem) and a Maryland summertime treat (blue crabs – if you’ve never had them before, we’ll teach you how)! We’ll board the Spirit Cruise Ship at 7:30pm and cruise through the harbor and out to the Francis Scott Key Bridge where we’ll have the best seat in town for the fireworks display! The boat will return to the harbor at 11:00pm. This option is available on the registration site and it costs $80 per person.
Field Trip to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Patuxent Research Refuge Facility
On July 5th we will have the closing plenary session at the Law School in the morning and in the afternoon participants have the option to join a group headed to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Patuxent Research Refuge Visitor’s Center. While there, the group will participate in a tram tour of the park (limited to 120 registrants), watch a video about the history of the facility and highlights of its accomplishments, and take a self-guided tour through their indoor exhibits and/or outdoor hiking trail. After the field trip, participants have the option of drop-off locations depending on their plans for after the conference. The buses will stop at the following locations: Greenbelt Metro (ideal if you want to tour DC or go to National Airport), Dulles Airport, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, or the Law School. This option is available on the registration website and will cost $20 per person.
Offsets
IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ THIS SECTION BEFORE REGISTERING FOR THE COLLOQUIUM.
Offset SchemesAs endorsed by the IUCN-AEL Governing Council for the previous three years, the organizers of this year’s Colloquium in Maryland wish to provide participants with an opportunity to participate voluntarily in two offset schemes, namely: Carbon Offsets and Collaboration Offsets.
- Carbon Offsets
We encourage all participants to offset their carbon emissions associated with participating in this year’s Colloquium. We acknowledge that the selection of a preferred carbon credit supplier is a very personal preference. You may wish to consider TerraPass which funds projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including farm power, landfill gas capture, abandoned coal mine methane capture, and clean energy. The Maryland Environmental Law Society (MELS), the law school’s student environmental organization, has partnered with TerraPass to fund these projects and reduce carbon emissions. - Collaboration Offsets
As you may or may not be aware, it is unlikely that UNEP will be sponsoring the participation of our members from non-OECD countries this year. We are therefore seeking the support of our member institutions from OECD countries to sponsor the participation of one or more persons from our member institutions situated in non-OECD countries. We have calculated that it will cost on average 2170.00 USD per person to do so. In the interests of fostering collaboration and broader participation, we encourage you to sponsor non-OECD members, and Conference Organizers will provide the appropriate forum to acknowledge such support. Please check the box on the registration form to confirm your sponsorship participation, and the amount you would like to contribute.
Travel
Airports:
- Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is the closest airport being only ten miles from our campus.
- Reagan National Airport (DCA) is forty-four miles from our campus.
- Dulles International Airport (IAD) is sixty miles from our campus.
Transportation from BWI to Campus:
- Maryland Transportation Administration (MTA) Light Rail ($1.60 one-way fare)
- Airport Van & Limo, LLC: 443-505-1196
Transportation from Dulles International Airport (IAD) or Reagan National (DCA) to Campus:
We highly recommend flying into BWI but if you are unable to get a flight to BWI, Super Shuttle has competitive rates starting at $90 + $10 per additional passenger (7 person max) for a round-trip from Dulles and $58 + $10 per additional passenger (7 person max) for round trip from Reagan. You can reserve your ride using their website.
Hotels
We have made arrangements for special rates at these hotels. You must reserve your room through their website:
Taxi Services while in town:
We have several fun activities planned for you but if you should find extra time before or after the colloquium to visit Baltimore’s tourist attractions, Visit Baltimore is an excellent source for fun and interesting things to do in our town.