20260226_Climate Judgements-PROGRAM

PROGRAM

Venue:
Károlyi-Csekonics Palace, 1088 Budapest, Múzeum utca 17
Date:
19 February (Thursday) 2026
As climate change accelerates, international courts are taking
center stage in defining States’ responsibilities. Recent rulings are
not only reshaping international law but also influencing trade, investment,
and global geopolitics. From rising seas to shifting maritime
zones, these decisions raise urgent questions with far-reaching
legal, economic, and intergenerational consequences.
The Mathias Corvinus Collegium proudly presents the conference
“Climate Judgement: How to Address Climate Change and
Its Legal and Geopolitical Consequences?” Through panels and
presentations, leading experts will explore the impact of climate
rulings on maritime law, economic disputes, and international relations.
Join us for in-depth discussions on the courts’ decisions,
their reception, and what they mean for the future of law, policy,
and the planet.
February 19th (Thursday)
09:30-10:00 REGISTRATION
10:00-10:05 WELCOMING REMARKS
Lénárd Sándor (Head of the Center for international Law, MCC,
Associate Professor of Law)
10:05-10:15 OPENING REMARK
Anikó Raisz (State Secretary for Environmental Affairs, Associate
Professor of Law)
10:15-11:15 PANEL DISCUSSION I.
CLIMATE JUDGEMENTS AND THEIR RECEPTION
Speakers: Prof. Andreas Ziegler (University of Lausanne)
The Reception of Climate Judgements, especially the judgement of
ECHR in Switzerland
Prof. Tomoko Ishikawa (University of Nagoya)
The Reception of Climate Judgements in International Economic
Disputes and ISDS litigation
Amb. Mitch Fifield (Former Permanent Representative of
Australia at the UN)
The Reception of Climate Judgements, especially the ICJ Advisory
Opinion in Australia
11:15-11:30 COFFEE BREAK

11:30-12:30 PANEL DISCUSSION II.
CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE JUDGEMENTS
Associate Prof. Rafał Wielki (University of Opole)
Criminal Regulatory Aspects of Climate Change
Speakers:
Prof. Davor Vidas (Nansen Institute)
Sea-level rise and the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change:
Clarifying the Law of the Sea for the Anthropocene
Associate Prof. Stjepan Gadzo (University of Rijeka)
“The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Its Legal
Challenges: Lessons for the Future of Environmental Taxation”
Ms. Carla Chavich (Compass Lexecon)
The Costs of Climate Judgements in International Economic Litigation
14:30-14:35 CLOSING REMARKS
Lénárd Sándor (Head of the Center for international Law, MCC,
Associate Professor of Law)
Mr. Zhixing Fu (China International Economic and Trade
Arbitration Commission)
Climate Judgements and CIETAC
12:30-13:30 LUNCH BREAK
13:30-14:30 PANEL DISCUSSION III.
CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENT AND CRIMINAL LAW
Speakers:
Prof. Péter Kovács (Pázmány Péter Catholic University, former
Justice of the ICC)
The Challenges of Environmental Protection before the International
Criminal Court
Michael Herz (International Criminal Lawyer, Legal Officer at the ICC)
Environmental Protection and ad hoc International Courts