Climate Law Circle
The UM Climate Law Circle is an initiative of students, alumni and professors of the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University founded in December 2021. This initiative provides a platform that allows us to follow up on the EU's regulatory framework towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050. It creates a space to exchange knowledge and tools to further climate action in the EU and beyond. In the following, the expectations, objectives and rationale of the Circle are presented.
Why do we exist?
We consider ourselves to be the generation that has to take action now. As such, we see our mission as disseminating information and raising awareness on climate change related legal issues, as well as influencing and implementing Circle’s objectives at the EU decision-making level.
What do we expect from this community?
- To engage with researchers, academics, practitioners, policymakers and relevant stakeholders specialising in climate-related legal issues;
- To bring together undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as alumni from Maastricht University, professors, and the wider public, sharing the aim of mitigating and adapting to climate change
What do we want to achieve?
- To provide overview of the most recent developments in the regulatory landscape relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation , with a particular emphasis on EU law;
- To exchange and deepen knowledge and develop critical ideas and opinions in the field of climate change;
- To create a network. We want to make the UM Climate Law Circle an interactive platform where everyone feels free to connect;
- To share (domestic) good practices;
- To exchange information about possible career paths in the area climate change mitigation and adaptation;
- Ultimately, to create a diverse, motivated and ever-growing network, that may in the future also involve interested and committed students, professors and experts from other fields but law.
How do we want to achieve our goals?
- By organising regular meetings, approximately every three months for the time being, with the aim of increasing the regularity as the network develops;
- By inviting experts in the field of climate change law to hold presentations and/or panel discussions;
- By inviting students and alumni to share their research topics.
- By communicating our findings through social media channels.
Committee members
Maritje Weydemann
My name is Maritje and I'm from Austria. My interest in environmental and climate change law got sparked during a course at Maastricht University, followed by my master thesis in the same area. After graduating this summer from the College of Europe, I am hoping to also be working in this area. For me, this area of law is extremely interesting not only because I am well aware of the importance of acting now in order to save our future, but also because we- as lawyers- can be part of a process of change and creation of new laws and policies. The Climate Law Circle allows young people to exchange information and knowledge about the multiple legal developments going on within climate law, exchange ideas, and learn from each other as well as external specialists about this extremely interesting field of law. This is why I am really looking forward to getting this project started and I am excited to see where it will take us!
Audrey Danthinne
After graduating from Maastricht University (Master in International Laws), and currently studying Global Environment and Climate Change Law (LLM) at the University of Edinburgh, I decided to join the UM Climate Law Circle (UMCLC) in order to deepen my knowledge of climate change law and to get to know more people passionate about environmental protection. I believe great changes can happen if we join forces and work together through initiatives such as the UMCLC, which relies on knowledge sharing as a tool to fight climate change.
Margarida Martins
I am a EU policy assistant with a keen interest on climate action and environmental protection. I consider the Climate Law Circle to be a valuable outlet for discussion and analysis on environmental law develoments in Europe with other interested and passionate people.
Maja Bartczak
Hey! My name is Maja and I am an events organiser in the Climate Circle Committee. My interest in climate change and motivation to tackle this issue led me to become a part of the Circle. Academically, I focus on research on climate change and human rights. Personally, I am involved in Maastricht for Climate organisation, where I write blog posts on matters concerning climate change and sustainability. I hope that the Climate Circle will become a platform where everyone can share their ideas on addressing climate change!
Anna Katharina Damm
I am a PhD student at the University of Göttingen. I choose to focus on corporate human rights and environmental due diligence and corporate reporting, because I believe that corporate regulatory regimes must be designed to playing a pivotal role in the mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Moreover, I believe that our generation has a responsibility to voice the environmental dangers that are ahead of us and must work together to achieve a safe and sustainable future for generations to come. I am convinced that the Climate Law Circle gives us the opportunity to raising awareness by informing and debating about climate change policies and legislation in the EU and beyond!
Elsa Laurin
Hello! My name is Elsa Laurin. I am a Master student in European Law with a specialisation in Public Law and Governance. I am very interested in studying EU, Public and Environmental law in relation with Economics, as I strongly believe that the European project is essential in providing a solution to the climate crisis. I aim to act at different levels to protect the environment… starting with the University and UM Climate law Circle !
Kaja Klasinc
Kaja holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Ljubljana and is currently an LL.M. candidate at the European Law School, Maastricht University. She previously worked as a Researcher at the Faculty of Social Science, University of Ljubljana and as a Policy and Communications trainee at the European Digital SME Alliance. In January 2022 Kaja joined Bureau Brussels Consultancy as a public affairs trainee, where she follows closely the European sustainability initiatives. Within the Circle Kaja wishes to create an encouraging network of legal experts that will contribute to the fair transition towards climate neutrality.