Giacomo Sebis: Human Rights and Circular Economy: An International Legal Framework for a Socio-Ecological Economy

About the Speaker
Giacomo Sebis works as a Researcher in the Circular Economy division of the Wuppertal Institute. From 2011 to 2019, he studied Law, specializing in International and European Law, at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and in Seoul, South Korea. After an internship with the Climate Change and Sustainability Services at Ernst & Young, he completed his legal traineeship (Referendariat) from 2020 to 2022 at the District Court (Landgericht) of Wuppertal, with placements including the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), a law firm specializing in human rights, and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). He has been working at the Wuppertal Institute since 2022, conducting interdisciplinary research on topics such as the legal issues of the Circular Economy and the social implications of a circular economy transformation.

About the Topic
How can international law secure a Just Transition towards the Circular Economy? The concept of Just Transition demands that actors, such as workers or informally employed persons, are not overly burdened in ecological transformation processes. However, due to global economic interdependencies, a global governance framework is necessary to protect such actors: International legal guidelines are needed to secure compensation, participation, and human rights. It remains an open question whether existing environmental, economic, or human rights agreements suffice or must be reformed to contribute to a socially responsive transformation. In particular, international economic law could play a significant role in the design of a socially responsive circular economy. Giacomo analyses how international norms can address social risks during the transition to the Circular Economy.

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