Polar Cooperation Research Centre (PCRC) of Kobe University is proud to join the Polar Law Institute (University of Akureyri, Iceland), the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law – Arctic Centre (University of Lapland, Finland), the University of the Arctic and its Arctic Law Thematic Network (Finland) to host the 2020 Polar Law Symposium. This will be the first time the event is being held in Asia in its 13-year history.

Academics, students, indigenous representatives and practitioners from around the world will attend and participate in this event, which will discuss on the implications and challenges faced by both the Arctic and the Antarctic for international law and policy. 

The symposium will focus on the following themes (with additional proposals) and be discussion oriented:

  • International rule of law in polar regions
  • Policy-law-science nexus in polar regions
  • Protecting marine and terrestrial polar environments
  • Humans and human security in polar regions
  • Resources and industries in polar regions
  • The law of the sea and the polar regions

Call for Abstracts is now open. Deadline is March 31, 2020. Early-career/indigenous scholars travel assistance requests: deadline 31 March 2020.

The Planning Committee encourages a focused discussion in each panel on a common theme with a distinctively bi-polar perspective. The Committee will also accept broad topics and methodologies under such common themes. For the first time in its 13-year history, the 2020 Polar Law Symposium is held in a non-Arctic or non-Antarctic gateway country. Therefore, the “mid-latitude” perspective in all discussions is very much welcomed. When submitting an abstract, please choose a panel the objective of which best fits the theme of your abstract. 

Proposals for new panels are encouraged. In this case, the proposal should clearly indicate the title of the proposed panel, at least four (4) presentations within the panel with the titles and concise abstracts for each of them, as well as the names of the presenters (all in 700 words limit). The Planning Committee reserves its right to request further information and/or abstracts before making its decision.

From those accepted abstracts/panel proposals, Kobe PCRC will offer full or partial travel assistance to selected early-career scholars and indigenous participants. For selection purposes, early-career scholars and indigenous participants seeking for travel assistance from Kobe PCRC are encouraged to submit a longer version nearing the maximum limit (700 words) so that they can provide the main argument of your proposed presentation.

For more information visit the 2020 Polar Law Symposium website.