Agenda
30-31 May 2018
Balsillie School of International Affairs / Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Hosted as part of Canada’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Draft Progamme*
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
12:30 – 13:00 Registration
13:00 – 14:00 Opening, Welcome & Keynote Address
Opening Remarks: Prof. Jean Andrey, Dean of the Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo
Words of Welcome from the Hosts:
Prof. Bruce Frayne, School of Enviro, Enterprise & Development (SEED), uWaterloo
Prof. Simon Dalby, Wilfrid Laurier University / Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA)
Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier-Segger, SEED, uWaterloo & Dr. Alexandra Harrington, Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL)
Keynote Address: David Runnalls, Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
14:00 – 15:00 Sustainable Development Solutions from Multilateral Environmental Agreements 
– Legal Experts Panel
How can Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) help to achieve the SDGs? Which innovative instruments offer the most promise? What can be learned from recent implementation challenges and successes?
Chairs & Opening Comments: Ms. Silvia Maciunas, CIGI & Dr. Alexandra Harrington, CISDL
Expert Speakers: Prof. Jorge Cabrera, University of Costa Rica; Prof. Meinhard Doelle, Schulich School of Law – Dalhousie University, Maître Hafij Khan, Director, Centre for Climate Justice – Bangladesh; Maître Christopher Campbell-Durufle, University of Toronto
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee & Tea Break
15:30 – 17:00 Intl Law & Governance Innovations for Achieving the SDGs –Workshops
Workshop 1: Climate Action (SDG 13)
To achieve SDG 13, what are the most important obstacles and opportunities? How can international law and governance innovations and reforms contribute to success? What is needed from governments, inter-governmental agencies, and non-governmental actors (academia, enterprise, civil society) and what is the future research agenda?
Chairs: Maître Ayman Cherkaoui, CISDL (former Chief Advisor, UNFCCC CoP22 Presidency) & Prof. Daniel Henstra, Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC3) uWaterloo
Workshop 2: Life on Land (SDG 15)
To achieve SDG 15, what are the most important obstacles and opportunities? How can international law and governance innovations and reforms contribute to success? What is needed from governments, inter-governmental agencies, and non-governmental actors (academia, enterprise, civil society) and what is the future research agenda?
Chairs: Prof. Jorge Cabrera, University of Costa Rica & Prof Christina Voigt, University of Oslo
17:15 – 18:45 Speaker’s Dinner (Solé Restaurant)
19:00 – 20:45 Sustainable Development: What’s Rights Got to Do with It?
Public Evening Event – Keynote Speech & International Dialogue
19:00 – 19:15 Welcome & Opening
Master of Ceremonies: David Caughey, BSIA
Welcome: Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier-Segger, SEED, uWaterloo / CISDL & Prof. Simon Dalby, Wilfrid Laurier University / BSIA
19:00 – 19:45 Keynote Address
Prof. John Knox, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment for the UN Human Rights Council*
19:45 – 20:45 Sustainable Development Solutions from International Human Rights Law – International Experts Dialogue
How can international human rights accords help to achieve the SDGs? Which innovative instruments offer the most promise? What can be learned from recent implementation challenges and successes?
Chair & Opening Remarks: Prof. Maya Prabhu, Yale University
Expert Speakers: Prof. Sumudu Atapattu, University of Wisconsin; Prof. Will David, Executive Director, Indigenous Rights Centre; Dr. Ashfaq Khalfan, Law & Policy Director, Amnesty International; Prof. Steven B. Young School of Enviro, Enterprise & Development (SEED), uWaterloo
Closing: Dr Alexandra Harrington, CISDL
Thursday, May 31, 2018
08:30 – 9:00 Coffee & Registration
09:00 – 10:00 Sustainable Development Solutions from International Trade & Investment Law – International Experts Panel
How can international trade and investment treaties help to achieve the SDGs? Which innovative instruments offer the most promise? What can be learned from recent implementation challenges and successes?
Chairs: Prof. Markus Gehring, University of Cambridge & Prof. Olaf Weber, University of Waterloo
Speakers: Maître Sean Stephenson, Appleton Associates; Maître Blessing Ajayi, SEED, uWaterloo; Aaron Cosbey, Senior Associate, International Institute for Sustainable Development *;Dr. Fabiano de Andrade Correa, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (online)
Keynote Address: Dr. Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz, CEO International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (online)
10:00 – 12:00 Intl Law & Governance Innovations for Achieving the SDGs – Workshops
Workshop 3: Affordable & Clean Energy (SDG 7)
To achieve SDG 7, what are the most important obstacles and opportunities? How can international law and governance innovations and reforms contribute to success? What is needed from governments, inter-governmental agencies, and non-governmental actors (academia, enterprise, civil society) and what is the future research agenda?
Chairs: Maître Erick Kassongo, President, Centre Congolaise pour le Developpement Durable & Prof. Jatin Nathwani, Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy – University of Waterloo
Workshop 4: Zero Hunger (SDG 2)
To achieve SDG 2, what are the most important obstacles and opportunities? How can international law and governance innovations and reforms contribute to success? What is needed from governments, inter-governmental agencies, and non-governmental actors (academia, enterprise, civil society) and what is the future research agenda?
Chairs: Prof. Heather Mcleod-Kilmurray, University of Ottawa & Prof. Alison Blay-Palmer, Wilfred Laurier University / BSIA
12:00 – 13:00: Lunch
13:00 – 14:30 Sustainable Development Solutions from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights 
of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Treaties – Experts Panel
How can the UNDRIP and Indigenous Treaties help to achieve the SDGS? Which innovative instruments offer the most promise? What can be learned from recent implementation challenges and successes?
Chair: Prof. Konstantia Koutouki, University of Montreal
Expert Speakers: Prof. Will David, Executive Director, Indigenous Rights Centre; Ms. Sara Mainville, Partner Olthuis, Kleer, Townshend LLP, Prof. Terry Mitchell, Wilfred Laurier University / BSIA
Keynote Address: Prof. Wayne Garnons-Williams, Chair International Trade & Investment Organization
14:30 – 15:00 Tea/Coffee Break
15:00 – 16:30 International Law Innovations in SDG Implementation – Final Roundtable
Based on Workshop Rapporteurs reports and insights gained in Plenary Experts Panel dialogues, what are the most important legal and governance obstacles to achieving the SDGs, and what are the most promising innovations? What can efforts in one international treaty regime learn from another, and what is the future research agenda?
Chairs: Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, SEED, uWaterloo / CISDL & Prof. Simon Dalby, Wilfrid Laurier University / BSIA
16:30 – 17:00 Thanks & Closing
Master of Ceremonies: David Caughey, BSIA
* Speakers & Chairs have been invited, but not all are yet confirmed.