About the Lecture

The adage “nature is a silent victim of war” also applies to international economic conflicts. Today, the rising use of economic statecraft, including tariffs, sanctions, and investment screenings, poses a growing threat to global climate action. Do states bear responsibilities under international law when their unilateral restrictive measures hinder climate cooperation? What role should international law play in promoting climate collaboration in an increasingly divided world? The talk analyses the tension between economic statecraft and climate transition, and explores states’ climate obligations when adopting economic statecraft.

About the speaker

Ying Zhu is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean (international affairs) at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong. Her academic interests span international investment law, international trade law, and environmental law. She has served as a member of the Chinese delegation to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group III, and as a Senior Assistant to the President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). She holds LL.M. and J.S.D. degrees from Yale Law School, and a LL.B. degree from China University of Political Science and Law.

Practicalities 

This lecture will be hybrid. Drinks and snacks will follow after the lecture.