Weekly Update 17 September 2021

Weekly Update 17 September 2021

Dear Friends,

This is our first Update since the summer break. As the UK prepares to host the COP26 Climate Conference in November, we are mindful that the Rule of Law has a part to play in tackling the planet-wide problems caused by human climate change.

Combatting and mitigating the climate crisis requires more than bold ideas. It also requires effective forms of accountability, to ensure that agreed actions are implemented and sustained. In other words, the Rule of Law is needed. In an interview for Climate Action Live 2021, the Co-Chair of the Bingham Centre Development Board, Guy Beringer CBE, discussed the importance of Rule of Law awareness with MSNBC presenter Richard Lui. Guy emphasised that the Bingham Centre aims to mainstream Rule of Law principles, so that they are not seen as belonging only to lawyers. All sectors of society can contribute to advancing the Rule of Law, including citizens demanding better governance and corporate actors taking Rule of Law principles into account in their strategic planning. There are positive signs, in our troubled times, of a growing awareness of the Rule of Law.

In this week's Update, we bring you news of the Bingham Centre's engagement with UK parliamentary legislation, including the Environment Bill and the Police, Crime Court and Sentencing Bill, on which we have just published our first report. We also reflect on recent Rule of Law developments in the EU, including the latest decisions of the Court of Justice on changes to the judicial framework in Poland. Finally, the update provides details of the latest projects funded by the Modern Slavery PEC, which is led by the Bingham Centre.

You can read the whole Weekly Update here.