Description

On 8 September 2022, APCEL organised a working paper presentation by Visiting Associate Professor, Dr Ricardo Pereira. Dr Pereira is also a visiting researcher at APCEL.

Dr Pereira shared his ideas for a paper assessing the rationales for criminalisation and mechanisms for interstate criminal-law cooperation for protection of marine natural resources present in areas beyond national jurisdiction (‘ABNJ’). Firstly, he discussed whether existing international environmental bodies and agencies are able to enforce environmental conservation standards effectively, drawing on the experience of international and regional fisheries commissions and the pollution control standards adopted under the auspices of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Secondly, he posited that ‘environmental security’ could provide the overarching theoretical framework for conservation of the marine environment and criminalisation of environmental offences in ABNJ. Thirdly, he explored whether extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction, and the present standards and mechanisms for interstate cooperation in criminal matters (such as the 2000 Palermo Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime), could assist interstate cooperation in enforcing conservation standards to strongly deter illegal activities against conservation in the high seas and in ABNJ. Finally, he considered how far the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations for a treaty on marine biodiversity protection in ABNJ should include mechanisms for interstate criminal law cooperation.

Following his presentation, workshop attendees engaged with Dr Pereira in a Q&A session, many of whom expressed interest in his ideas. Dr Pereira addressed questions including some on the scope of his research and the justifications for his recommendations.

Dr Ricardo Pereira (Visiting Associate Professor, NUS Law) presenting his working paper

Participants listening attentively to the presentation

Participant asking questions during the Q&A session