Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Description
Co-delivered a seminar lecture at Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance. The lecture, titled ‘Rare Earths: A rare debate’, was based on ongoing research by Dr Francesco Sindico (Strathclyde University), Dr Stephanie Switzer (Strathclyde University) and Adv. Leonardus Gerber (Dundee University) on whether litigation is the best (or the only) answer to conflicts arising between countries wishing to access minerals critical to the development of renewable energy technology and countries imposing export restrictions on those commodities. The research findings, which is due to be published in early 2015, highlights the link between climate change mitigation and minerals (specifically rare earth elements) and critically assesses the two WTO rare earths and raw materials cases. It discusses legal issues related to the WTO compatibility of mineral export restrictions, the applicability of GATT art XX to China’s Accession Protocol, and the legitimacy of the WTO in affecting non-trade domestic policies. It also assesses viable alternatives to litigation and considers emerging governance patterns arising or stemming from industry practice.