JNR 2025: Sustainability Law

Comparative, Interdisciplinary, and Intradisciplinary Perspectives

Promoting sustainable development is one of the most complex challenges where international, cross-jurisdictional, and -disciplinary understanding is key for finding feasible and effective solutions. Yet, the current discussions are often confined to individual legal systems and legal disciplines, with limited integration across fields or engagement with other sciences. The 4th Young Sustainability Law Conference (JNR 2025) from 19 to 21 June 2025 in Hamburg tackles this fragmented approach. The conference is aimed at early-career researchers in sustainability law, ranging from advanced students to junior professors. It will provide an opportunity for discussion, the creation of a robust network that brings together diverse research efforts, and the fostering of lasting collaborations. It is organized by a diverse team from the Bucerius Law School, Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, and University of Hamburg.

The conference connects three distinct approaches in the sustainability discourse:

1. Comparative Approach: While efforts to promote sustainable development are of global relevance, legal solutions stem in large part from national and regional authorities. Against this backdrop, we encourage comparative contributions exploring the role of sustainable development in various legal systems,
2. Interdisciplinary Approach: Addressing the challenges of sustainable development demands more than insights from the field of law alone. We invite submissions that bridge other scientific fields with law to enrich the sustainability discourse.
3. Intradisciplinary Approach: Legal subdisciplines focus on different aspects of environmental, social and economic responsibility. However, the interplay between the different legal fields of sustainability remains largely unexplored. We aim to unlock this underdeveloped potential for the further development of sustainability law. We invite young researchers (Master, PhD, Postdoc, or assistant professors) to submit abstracts of up to 800 words (including footnotes and references) by 28 February 2025 to team@jnr2025.de. Please indicate your academic stage, your institutional affiliation, and provide three to five thematic keywords. It is possible to submit several abstracts from multiple researchers with a common theme to form a unified or partial panel. If you wish to submit a panel proposal, please indicate the connected abstracts and add a short description of max. 100 words on the common theme and connections between the projects.For further inquiries, please contact team@jnr2025.de or visit our website at https://www.jnr2025.de.

Additional Information:

• The conference language is English.
• An attractive programme including panel discussions, keynotes, and framework activities will be arranged.
• Presentations will be approximately 20 minutes with additional discussion.
• All speakers will have the opportunity to publish their papers in an edited volume. The final version of the manuscript must be submitted by 22 July 2025.
• For speakers, accommodation in Hamburg during the conference will be provided and reasonable financial support for travel expenses will also be available.