On April 24–25, a delegation led by the Chairman of the Azerbaijani Bar Association (ABA), PhD in Law Anar Baghirov, participated in the international congress on “Modern Issues of Environmental Law” held at Dokuz Eylül University in Izmir, Türkiye, upon the university’s invitation.

Along with Chairman Anar Baghirov, the event, attended by legal scholars and lawyers from over 15 countries, also included Professor Turgay Huseynov, Head of the ABA Lawyers’ Qualification Commission, and Sattar Mammadov, Deputy Secretary General.

At the opening ceremony of the congress, Dean of Dokuz Eylül University, Professor Mehmet Refik Korkusuz, delivered a welcoming speech, wishing success to the congress and emphasizing the importance of the event and the necessity of international cooperation in the field of environmental law.

Then, the Rector of Dokuz Eylül University, Professor Bayram Yilmaz, greeted the participants and highlighted that climate change, rapid depletion of natural resources, and the destruction of ecosystems pose serious threats to humanity. Stressing that technical and technological solutions alone are insufficient to address these issues, the rector underlined the crucial importance of strengthening legal mechanisms for environmental protection, i.e., the development of environmental law.

In his speech, Professor Turgay Huseynov, Chairman of the ABA Lawyers’ Qualification Commission and Doctor of Law, touched upon the connection between human rights and climate change. He emphasized that climate change directly affects fundamental rights such as the right to life and health, and access to clean water and food. Environmental protection is no longer just an ecological issue, but also critically important for the protection of human rights. The concept of climate justice brings to the forefront the protection of the rights of vulnerable populations most affected by climate change and emphasizes the fair distribution of these impacts.

Speaking about international practices regarding environmental law norms and the right to live in a healthy environment, Turgay Huseynov also shared examples from the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

Continuing his speech, he particularly highlighted the role of international and national courts in determining responsibility and delivering fair decisions in this field.

Anar Baghirov, Chairman of the ABA, spoke on "The Role of Lawyers in the Application of Environmental Law Norms," stating that climate change is not only an ecological but also a legal challenge. He noted that international documents and conventions establish legal obligations for environmental protection. He pointed out that the Constitution and legislation of Azerbaijan guarantee the right to live in a healthy environment and that a modern legal framework has been developed in this regard. He emphasized that the legal knowledge and skills of lawyers are crucial for the effective protection of environmental rights and the restoration of violated rights.

Anar Baghirov noted that the nearly 30-year-long occupation of Karabakh caused not only territorial and physical harm but also serious and irreparable damage to the region’s ecological balance, natural resources, and environment as a whole. The ecological disasters that occurred in Karabakh severely affected human rights and involved gross violations of the law.

Within the framework of the congress, the ABA delegation also met with Azerbaijani students studying law at Dokuz Eylül University, answered their questions, and wished them success in their future endeavors.

Additionally, Anar Baghirov was honored by ELSA Izmir (European Law Students’ Association) for his support. During the congress, Jamal Abbasov, an Azerbaijani doctoral student at the Faculty of Law of Dokuz Eylül University and head of ELSA Izmir, presented the award to Chairman Anar Baghirov and expressed gratitude on behalf of ELSA Izmir.

Moreover, during the visit, ABA representatives held meetings with lawyers, advocates, and legal scholars from various countries. They discussed current issues, modern approaches, and best practices in environmental law and exchanged ideas and experiences on strengthening international cooperation, sustainable reforms in the legal field, enhancing the professional training of lawyers, and implementing legal mechanisms related to climate change.

Dokuz Eylül Universitetinin rektoruna ARVK-nın xatirə hədiyyəsi

Dokuz Eylül Universitetinin Hüquq fakültəsində təhsil alan azərbaycanlı tələbələr

Dokuz Eylül Universitetinin Hüquq fakültəsində təhsil alan azərbaycanlı tələbələr

Dokuz Eylül Universitetinin Hüquq fakültəsinin doktorantı, ELSA İzmirin rəhbəri

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