Seminar explores the role of Law in Protecting Nature

Over two days of discussion at Lusófona University, the seminar “Law, Nature and the Environment” examined how legal systems can respond to the environmental crisis.

Held on 29 and 30 June 2026, the Faculty of Law and the Francisco Suárez Centre for Advanced Studies (CEAD) brought together academic and professional perspectives on nature conservation, sustainability and climate change. The seminar was jointly coordinated by Ramiro Ávila Santamaria and Maria Inês Gameiro.

The event opened with José Faria Costa, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Lusófona University, who welcomed participants to a programme organised around five thematic panels.

Throughout the seminar, speakers explored topics including the rights of nature, the legal personhood of non-human natural entities and the relationship between democracy and the environment, with contributions from national and international experts.

The programme then broadened its focus to examine environmental protection mechanisms and the challenges posed by the climate crisis, bringing together different legal perspectives and geographical contexts.

The closing session highlighted the need to strengthen dialogue between science and law, at a time when legal responses are becoming increasingly important in shaping a sustainable environmental future.

View the Event Photos on ULusófona's Facebook Page

Text
Catarina Castanheira

Photography
Diana Santos