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The MCC School of Law organized a series of study days on the legal context of environmental law at the Modul University campus in Vienna. The event focused on the role of both international and national legislation in environmental protection, exploring the opportunities and limitations for legal development in this field. In addition to expert lectures and discussions, students participated in a moot court competition and an environmental quiz. The program also included a visit to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River at the United Nations, offering students valuable insight into real-world environmental governance.
The event opened with a keynote presentation by Tomoko Ishikawa, Professor of Law at Nagoya University in Japan, who addressed the evolution of international climate change law. She emphasized that regulatory frameworks must consider the actual resources and environmental conditions of the communities they aim to serve.
Iris Koberg, legal advisor to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Vienna, explored the intersection of arbitration and environmental protection, highlighting the growing number of environmental disputes being brought before international arbitral tribunals.
Lénárd Sándor, Head of the Center for International Law at MCC, discussed the opportunities and limitations of international legal development in light of recent court decisions. Attila Menyhárd, Head of the Center for Modern Legal Studies, examined the private law and private international law dimensions of environmental protection, focusing on the legal challenges and dilemmas in these areas. The series of presentations concluded with a film analysis led by Szabolcs Nagypál.
Alongside the academic program, students participated in a moot court competition, forming two teams to debate a fictional environmental law case. They also took part in an individual quiz competition on the history and key dilemmas of environmental law.
As part of their visit, students toured the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River at the United Nations, where they engaged in a discussion on the institution’s role and current environmental challenges concerning the Danube.
