APCEL Student Outreach Pilot: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

On 21 March 2023, APCEL held the fifth pilot session of our student outreach programme. Students from the Anglo Chinese School (Independent) were invited to the NUS Law campus for an interactive lunchtime workshop on international and domestic environmental law.

Lunch was included, and as usual, students brought their own cups, lunchboxes, and cutlery to reduce waste. Dr. Tara Maria Davenport (Deputy Director, APCEL) initiated a round of introductions and delivered a warm welcome speech.

Selene Tanne (Research Assistant, APCEL) kicked off the sessions with ice breakers. She asked students to brainstorm and discuss environmental issues they were most worried about, and the role laws and policies play to correct these rising transgressions.

Following that interactive segment, Dr. Sroyon Mukherjee (Research Fellow, APCEL) talked to students about the basics of international law. He discussed international treaties as well as transnational issues such as distributive justice and rights of nature, and emphasized how environmental law overlaps with many other areas of human activity and study.

Hanna Stengel (Visiting Researcher, APCEL) talked about environmental law in the European Union (EU). She talked about the primary sources and key principles of EU law, and what happens when a member state violates its obligations.

Finally, Selene spoke about Singapore’s climate actions, including its obligations under the Paris Agreement. She also discussed Singapore’s mitigation and adaptation strategies, with a focus on carbon taxes.

After the presentations, the students engaged presenters in a lively Q&A session, asking questions on issues like historical responsibility for climate change, the impacts of international cooperation and individual action, and the role of supranational bodies such as the EU. Selene led the Q&A and thanked the students for their participation.

To conclude, the students embarked on a campus tour led by Robin Buxton-Leow (undergraduate research assistant, APCEL).

The results of the feedback survey show that the session was very well received by the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) students. They particularly enjoyed learning about complex, new information in an understandable manner and being introduced to larger ideas about international environmental law. Students also liked the interactive group work segments as sharing perspectives lead to a more comprehensive understanding of individual action and broader responses to environmental problems.

APCEL Research Fellow, Sroyon Mukherjee, presenting on “Introduction To Environmental Law”

APCEL Visiting Researcher, Hanna Stengel, presenting on “Environmental Law In The European Union (EU)”

APCEL Research Assistant, Selene Tanne, presenting on “Climate Change Strategies In Singapore”

Campus tour led by Robin Buxton-Leow (undergraduate research assistant, APCEL)

Group Photo