Environmental Law Challenges facing the new social realities

Society changes in environmental issues have made the traditional legal tools inadequate, requiring adaptation to the current context.

The Environmental Law Department initiated a cycle of conferences to be held during 2018 to analyze the trends in this Law discipline, taking into account the current context in which societies develop.

The first session was headed by Dr. Ángela María Amaya, Externado University Law graduate, who gave an introductory explanation of the various themes to be addressed throughout the year.

“This conference cycle aims to learn and analyze the new trends in Environmental Law, understood as this discipline’s response to the new environmental challenges of today’s society,” added Dr. Amaya.

As present time characteristics, the speaker highlighted the emergence of new technologies, visibility, social networks, and the role of public opinion; also, the environmental crisis, innovation, society risks, and the relationship between Science and Law.

“The environmental crisis we are now facing affects Law procedures because if we do not take and carry out decisions, it will not be possible to return to an optimal nature condition, “she said.

Lastly, on how Environmental Law responds to the new society, the speaker mentioned the incorporation of environmental principles with solutions to legal problems, new forms of regulation, environmental justice, activism, and the protection of new subjects, such as communities, nature, and future generations.

The above topics will be addressed, in depth, at the next Environmental Law Department conferences.