Watch Now! Webinar on Enforcing European Union Environmental Law

19 Jan 2021

The Centre for Law & the Environment hosted a webinar on Enforcing European Union Environmental Law on 8 December 2020. 

Convened by Professor Áine Ryall, with funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs Communicating Europe Initiative, the webinar attracted over 160 participants. 

A range of themes were examined during the event including: the role of the EU Commission; the impact of Brexit; developments in appropriate assessment; and the influence of EU law on the right to participate in environmental decision-making.

The Hon Ms Justice Marie Baker, Supreme Court, chaired the webinar.  

Recordings of the webinar, along with the contributors’ presentations, are now available to view below:

Introductory Remarks

Prof Mark Poustie, Dean of Law, UCC; Prof Áine Ryall, Co-Director, Centre for Law & the Environment; The Hon Ms Justice Marie Baker, Supreme Court

EU Environmental Law: Enforcement Challenges in the Irish Context

Sibylle Grohs, Team Leader, Enforcement Unit, DG ENV, European Commission. View Sibylle Grohs' slideset  

New Environmental Watchdogs in the post-Brexit UK

Prof Colin Reid, University of Dundee. View Prof Colin Reid's slideset

Public Participation in Irish Environmental Law: The Continued Influence of EU Law

Tom Flynn BL, Law Library. View Tom Flynn BL's slideset 

Developments in Appropriate Assessment

Suzanne Murray BL, Law Library. View Suzanne Murray BL's slideset 

Further resources

This list of Environmental and Planning Law Cases in Ireland 2020 is a further useful resource.

Podcast series

We are delighted to also share a new podcast miniseries on the theme of enforcing European Union Environmental Law.

In the first episode, "Enforcing EU Environmental Law: A Litigator’s Perspective", Professor Áine Ryall speaks with Leo Flynn, Legal Advisor in the Legal Service of the European Commission. Leo Flynn participated in this podcast in a personal capacity.

In episode 2, "Enforcing EU Environmental Law: Some Insights from Luxembourg", Professor Áine Ryall speaks with Judge Anthony M Collins, Judge of the General Court of the European Union. Judge Collins participated in this podcast in a personal capacity.

In Episode 3 (the final episode of this miniseries) - "Enforcing EU Environmental Law: An ENGO Perspective", Professor Áine Ryall speaks with Attracta Uí Bhroin, Environmental Law Officer, Irish Environmental Network and Vice-President, European Environmental Bureau. Attracta Uí Bhroin participated in this podcast in a personal capacity.

The Centre for Law and the Environment and the UCC School of Law acknowledge the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs Communicating Europe Initiative 2020