Sustainability, Law and the Environment Student Blogs
BLOG/VLOG Student Series
The series exists of student-made analysis of topical issues in the field of environmental law. The Blog/vlog competition is organised by the master course Sustainability, Law, and the Environment. This course is part of the interdisciplinary master Sustainability Science, Policy and Society. Blogs/vlogs are developed by teams of 2 students, and need to discuss how law can or should protect the environment, in view of sustainable development.
Out of 59 submissions, and based on Originality, Quality and Topicality, the teaching team has selected 4 blogs and 2 vlogs as prize-winners for 2022.
The student blogs/vlogs are a part of the course SSP2052 - Sustainability Law and the Environment coordinated by prof. Marjan Peeters.
The course is part of the curriculum of the Sustainability Science & Policy Master at the Maastricht Sustainability Institute.
2022
• New hope for addressing plastic pollution in international environmental law? - Alessia Tomatis & Pauline Krause
Plastic pollution can be considered one of the most urgent global environmental concerns today. In international environmental law, however, plastic pollution has thus far not been sufficiently addressed in any international treaty. Will the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly meeting in 2022 bring new hope and finally address this problem?
• Responsibility vs Response-ability Regarding the Energy Transition – Civil Society vs Government and Institution - Rick Aarnoudse & Monu Varghese
This blog explores the Glasgow agreement’s call for civil society to be the forerunners in leading the energy transition instead of waiting for governments and institutions to accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources. It challenges this notion by highlighting a recent paper that explores creative regulation regarding carbon taxes.
• Going against the stream: Rights of Nature and the river Meuse - Bram Cruijsen & Camille Aardening
The Rights of Nature movement has been on the rise. In various countries, rights have been attributed to natural entities such as rivers, lakes and mountains. Nevertheless, Europe seems to be largely absent from these examples. This blog explores the possibility and legal implications of the river Meuse obtaining such rights.
• Transparency concerns within the European Investment Bank - Stephanie Kehm & Anna Kula
The following blog shows the power of the Aarhus Convention in the hands of an NGO. Winning a groundbreaking triumph against the European Investment Bank, Client Earth again leads as a role model in protecting the environment and presents a powerful warning sign to more transparent decision-making in environmental funding.
• Serving Law with Spaghetti and Schnitzel – episode one – protection of the wolf - Silvia Zecchini & Constanze Kero
Serving Law with Spaghetti & Schnitzel provides you with up-to-date topics in Environmental Law for all the non-lawyers out there. The hosts talk in their first episode about what wolfs have to do with law. Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee!
• Nitrogen Crisis in The Netherlands - Yuhao Tan & Ruben Vleeschouwers
This video delves into the case of the nitrogen crisis in the Netherlands, in which the European Court of Justice issued a preliminary ruling questioning the Dutch system. It shows how an EU member state reacts to such a ruling and its following social reaction. We hope you enjoy it!
Experiencing the right to get access to environmental information - Francisca Costa and Ombeline Siraudeau
After studying the Aarhus Convention in their Environmental Law Course, Ombeline and Francisca decided to use their rights provided by the treaty to demand access to environmental information to the municipality of Maastricht, regarding the use of pesticides in public spaces. The municipality replied within two months, providing information on existing regulations and detailing the pesticides used by the city. They decided to share their experience in the following video:
Prize Winning Blogs:
New hope for addressing plastic pollution in international environmental law?
Alessia Tomatis & Pauline Krause | blog
Responsibility vs Response-ability Regarding the Energy Transition - Civil Society vs Government and institution
Rick Aarnoudse & Monu Varghese | blog
Going against the stream: Rights of Nature and the river Meuse
Bram Cruijsen & Camille Aardening | blog
Transparency concerns within the European Investment Bank
Stephanie Kehm & Anna Kula | blog
Serving Law with Spaghetti and Schnitzel – episode one – protection of the wolf
Silvia Zecchini & Constanze Kero | vlog (in podcast style)
Nitrogen Crisis in The Netherlands
Yuhao Tan & Ruben Vleeschouwers | vlog (Powerpoint)
Furthermore, special attention is given to this vlog, in which two students share how they have experienced law in practice by inquiring information on the use of glyphosate in the municipality Maastricht :
Experiencing the right to get access to environmental information
Francisca Costa and Ombeline Siraudeau