The World Jurist Association (WJA) organized the panel “Degassing Europe: Will War Accelerate the Energy Transition?” which is the first Opening Session of the “on-going” World Law Congress 2023. This virtual meeting brought together Miguel Arias Cañete, former European Commissioner for Climate Action; Cristina Lobillo Borrero, Director of Energy Policy at the Directorate General for Energy of the European Commission; and Javier de Cendra, Dean of the Law School of the University Francisco de Vitoria and expert in Environmental Law. 

Viviane Reding, vice-president of the World Law Foundation and former vice-president of the European Commission, moderated the debate, inaugurated by Javier Cremades, president of the WJA. During his speech, President Cremades stressed that “the energy transition is taking place in an unprecedented context in the 21st century. With the war in Ukraine, the conflict unleashed by Moscow, violating international law, has revealed the dependence of Europe and many other regions on Russian fossil fuels”.

During the debate, the panel agreed on the fact that the European Union is fully committed to the objectives of decarbonization by 2055, which implies a progressive abandonment of fossil fuels, and its total substitution by clean energies: renewables, green hydrogen, etc. The so-called energy transition process, which is currently taking place, will achieve a triple objective once complete: cheaper, non-polluting and self-sufficiency.

It was also mentioned that the war in Ukraine has highlighted the urgent need to eliminate the current EU’s energy dependence on Russia by 2030 at the latest, and if possible, by 2027.

Panelists also agreed that energy transition towards decarbonization and independence from Russia are not contradictory goals; on the contrary, they are mutually reinforcing. The most effective way to achieve European energy self-sufficiency is to accelerate the transition in all its dimensions: increasing the contribution of renewables, energy efficiency and savings, new technologies, and in particular, green hydrogen. This philosophy underlies the Commission’s Repower communication, which confirms and reinforces the general objectives contained in the Fit for 55’s communication, approved by the European Council.

The world is currently immersed in a global crisis, which goes beyond the war in Ukraine, and even beyond the post-COVID 19 pandemic. Panelists remarked that this situation poses major challenges to the energy transition process. For example, questions relating to the availability and cost of innovative technologies and that of the raw materials required; questions relating to the world economic situation, inflation, contraction, and growth; and of a geopolitical nature, the duration and extension of the conflict, de-globalization, and disruption of supply chains, etc.

The rise in energy prices is undoubtedly, and especially in its “energy poverty” dimension, one of the greatest causes for concern and a major challenge to the energy transition process. The panel agreed that corrective measures must be implemented, but they must not jeopardize either the progress achieved or the road ahead. The European energy market, as the data shows, has worked very effectively, particularly for consumers and to encourage investment in renewables. The current problem is caused by rising gas prices, and that must be solved with specific measures, targeted at vulnerable sectors.

The European Union began the energy transition process two decades ago, and has already achieved important results: in particular, the fulfillment of all the objectives set for 2020 and the positive forecast, even in anticipation, with respect to those of 2030. The EU has the most complete legislative tools and financial instruments in the world to achieve decarbonization by 2055. Although the current crisis presents significant risks, there is a conviction that the EU has the capacity to overcome them, even to accelerate the process. 

More than 1500 attendees are participants in the 27th edition of the World Law Congress that for two days besieged Barranquilla as the world capital of law. A congress organized by the World Jurist Association (WJA), which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the 1991 Constitution of Colombia and the 200 years of the Constitution of Cúcuta.

Javier Cremades, President of the WJA, inaugurated this congress in which, he says, “a noble objective reigns, which is the defense of the freedom of each one of the people in all corners of the world, because tyranny and arbitrariness continue occupying spaces of power”. He was accompanied by Wilson Ruiz Orejuela, Minister of Justice of Colombia and President of the local organizing committee, who recognized that “this event is built between all, like democracy “, and pointed out that” we must involve the different actors of society in strengthening justice in the world, ensuring that rights are realities for all and not privileges for some. ” As minister, he showed “the absolute certainty that the Ministry will always work for an open and harmonious dialogue.”

For his part, Jaime Pumarejo, Mayor of Barranquilla, insisted that “democracy be promoted and promulgated among the youngest” and stressed that “all human beings must have the dignity of having rights.” Also participating in the opening of the event was Margarita Cabello, Attorney General of the Nation of Colombia and former Minister of Justice, who pointed out that “during the pandemic we managed to reconcile democracy and law, maintaining control of the rules without sacrificing a situation marked by the urgency; and the law responded”. Francisco Barbosa, attorney general of Colombia, recognized that “if there is no justice, democracy cannot be sustained in a territory, because once the prosecution or justice is lost, obviously the rule of law cannot be upheld.” Viviane Reding, Vice President of the World Law Foundation and former Vice President of the European Commission, she was also part of the opening ceremony, along with Cheol-Kyu Hwang, President of the International Association of Attorneys General, as well as Dairo Mora, President of Civilec. José Igreja Matos, president of the International Union of Magistrates, stressed that “without legality there is no freedom.” Manuel Aragón Reyes, academic director of the WLC and emeritus magistrate of the Constitutional Court of Spain, ruled that “without the rule of law, legal security and social and economic development are not possible.” President of the International Union of Magistrates, stressed that “without legality there is no freedom.” Manuel Aragón Reyes, academic director of the WLC and emeritus magistrate of the Constitutional Court of Spain, ruled that “without the rule of law, legal security and social and economic development are not possible.” President of the International Union of Magistrates, stressed that “without legality there is no freedom.” Manuel Aragón Reyes, academic director of the WLC and emeritus magistrate of the Constitutional Court of Spain, ruled that “without the rule of law, legal security and social and economic development are not possible.”

The round of interventions was closed by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, who intervened telematically and assured that “the laws and regulations designed to keep people safe have faced intrepid resistance from the public. , and some governments have abused emergency measures to justify repression. This has become a two-way pandemic. “

Throughout the day, the 52 tables that make up this congress and that dealt with the Rule of Law as the axis for the development of nations and democracy, digitization, the pandemic and sustainability, energy and climate change. The panelists included personalities such as Rigoberta Menchú, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Manuel Valls, former Prime Minister of France, Leonel Fernández, former President of the Dominican Republic, judges of the International Criminal Court, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the European Union Court of Human Rights and presidents of high courts, among others.

World Peace & Liberty Award

In the afternoon, the World Peace & Liberty Award monument, located in the Plaza de la Paz, was inaugurated. It is a donation made by the WJA to Colombia, in whose civil society and democracy, the longest in Latin America, it recognizes the defense, strengthening and promotion of the rule of law over and above the vicissitudes. This event was attended by the President of Colombia, Iván Duque, His Majesty the King of Spain, the Mayor of Barranquilla, and the President of the World Jurist Association, among other prominent legal personalities who were in Barranquilla. They were in charge of making this award official on the second day during the closing ceremony with the reading of the award ceremony.

The World Jurist Association (WJA) celebrated the Opening Session Regensburg “Rule of Law as a Universal Principle” in which the conception and perception of this concept from different countries were analyzed and shared. Leading academic jurists from Germany, Slovakia, Japan, Peru and Romania gathered to give their vision of the Rule of Law.

Diego Solana, program coordinator of the World Law Congress Colombia 2021, opened the meeting stating that “the rule of law is the best safeguard against tyranny, dictatorship and arbitrariness”. As moderator of the debate, Rainer Arnold, professor at the University of Regensburg, acknowledged that “public authorities are bound to the rule of law, and a State can only be a real democracy if it is governed by the law”. He further stated that the rule of law “promotes constitutional justice and implies a universal value”, adding that “freedom, by nature, is linked to human dignity, and the restriction of freedoms must be an exception that requires legitimization”. 

For her part, Simina Tanasescu, professor at the University of Bucharest and judge of the Constitutional Court of Romania, referred to the citizens: “we must not forget that the rule of law does not only mean separation of powers, but above all it refers to the human being, their dignity and the fundamental rights they have”. She stressed that “as long as we have this as our main focus, we will be able to overcome the bad intentions against the rule of law”. 

On the balance of powers, César Landa, trustee of the World Law Foundation and professor at the Pontifical University of Peru, stressed the “need to exercise the control of powers between the government and the opposition” and explained the situation in his country: in Peru, “this control has shown the need for an update of the Constitution, given the exhaustion of its political and socioeconomic model, as shown by the four changes of president in five years”. He also pointed out that “democracy must exist with the support of law, and there are no rights without democracy”. 

Continuing with the independence of powers, Milan Kristof, référendaire at the Court of Justice of the European Union, pointed out that “the council of the judiciary can constitute a safeguard for legal independence, being independent of the legislature and also of the executive”. In this regard, he stressed that “when the Court of Justice finds a breach of obligations, the Member State of the European Union concerned must take the necessary measures to rectify the situation”.

Japanese professor Hiroshi OTSU, from the University of Meji – Tokyo, explained what is happening in Japan, where they are witnessing “the emergence of a new rule of law that involves a dialogue between the national and local legislative power, as well as between the regulatory authority and the regulated parties”. 

This was the fourteenth opening session of the upcoming World Law Congress. The in-person event will be held in Barranquilla, Colombia, on December 2 and 3. For in-person and online registration to the World Law Congress Colombia 2021 visit www.worldlawcongress.com.