Dr Ricardo Pereira

Publication

• Date
• Type
• Promoted

Research

His research interests lie primarily at the intersection between environmental and natural resources law and other specific sub-fields of public international law and European Law, in particular transnational criminal law, international economic law, the law of the sea and human rights law (in particular indigenous peoples' rights).

Some of his recent research achievements and external engagement activities include:

- In 2023-2024 he was a member of an Expert Group convened by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to advice it on the development of its Legislative Guide on Pollution Crimes and Annex on Marine Pollution Crimes due to be published in early 2024.  

- In 2020-2021 he co-wrote a policy brief (w/ B. Sjöstedt and T. Krause) for the Instituto Colombo-Aleman para la Paz (CAPAZ) on 'The Environment and Indigenous People in the Context of the Armed Conflict and Peacebuilding Process in Colombia: Implications for the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and International Criminal Justice.' This policy brief includes recommendations aimed at advancing peacebuilding, transitional criminal justice and reparations for environmental damage linked to the armed conflict in Colombia. The policy brief was published in Spanish in 2022.

- In 2019-2020 he wrote a report on 'evaluation of the implementation of the Environmental Crime Directive in the UK' (not yet published) in a project funded by the European Commission (DG JUST) on the implementation of Directive 2008/99/EC on the protection of the environment through criminal law ('Environmental Crime Directive') in the EU Member States, conducted by the consultancy Milieu, Belgium.

- In 2019 he obtained a grant from the Centre for Law and Society for organising a two-day in-person workshop on 'Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Abuses and Natural Resources Governance: A Study in Global Law, Development and Justice' which was due to take place in 2020, in collaboration with the Centre for Human Rights and Public Law. In 2021 he obtained a small conference grant from the Learned Society of Wales for organising a two-day digital international conference on 'Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Abuses and Natural Resources Governance: A Study in Global Law, Development and Justice' in May 2022.

- In 2016 he jointly obtained a £12,000 grant from the Centre for Law and Society for organising a series of workshops on transnational criminal justice in collaboration with the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, and was the lead organiser of a one-day workshop on European criminal justice and international institutions that took place at Cardiff University in June 2017.

- In 2018-2020 he was a member of the Brexit Research Framework Agreement between the Welsh Assembly and Cardiff University, under which his research focused on post-Brexit Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). In 2016 he gave evidence before the National Assembly for Wales, External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, on 'Brexit and WTO Law', as part of the Committee's broader consulation on Leaving the European Union - International Law and Trade and Implications for Wales.

Teaching

• LL.M. - International Energy Law (2017-present) (Module Leader)
• LL.B. - Company Law (2016-2024) (Lecturer and tutor)
• LL.B. - Criminal Law (2023-present) (tutor)
• LL.B. - European Union Law (2015-2023) (lecturer and tutor)
• LL.B. - Commercial Law (2015-2017) (Module Leader, lecturer and tutor)
• LL.M. - EU Internal Market Law (2015 -2018) (Guest lecturer: the External Dimensions of the EU Internal Market)
• MSc - Multilateralism and International Law (2019) (Guest lecturer: Multilateralism and International Environmental Law)

Biography

I joined the Cardiff Law & Politics School in October 2015 as Senior Lecturer in Law and was promoted to Reader in Law in August 2020. Prior to joining Cardiff I held academic positions in a number of other higher education institutions, including Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Westminster, Business School (2013-2015) and Lecturer in Environmental Law at Imperial College London, Centre for Environmental Policy (2009-2012). I have also held associate or visiting teaching and research positions in several other academic instititions, including Queen Mary, University of London, University College London (UCL), the University of London and the National University of Singapore.

I obtained a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Essex in 2009, focused on environmental law, criminal law, European law and international law; an LL.M. in Public International Law from City, University of London in 2003; an LL.M. in International Business Law from Queen Mary, University of London in 2013,  and an LL.B. in Law obtained from the Federal University (Ufba) in 2001.

Honours and awards

• Learned Society of Wales (small conference grant) for organising a two-day virtual international conference on 'Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Abuses and Natural Resources Governance: A Study in Global Law, Development and Justice' hosted by Cardiff School of Law & Politics, Centre for Human Rights and Public Law in May 2022.
• Cardiff Centre for Law and Society, £5,000 grant for organising a conference on 'Corporate Accountability, Human Rights and Natural Resources Governance' (2019-20)
• Cardiff Centre for Law and Society, £12,000 grant for co-organising a series workshops on global criminal justice, in collaboration with the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice (2016-2017)
• UNEP-OAS 2nd conference on Environmental Rule of Law in the Americas, Supreme Court of Chile (travel grant)
• Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Postgraduate Studies Scholarship, Queen Mary, University of London (2013)
• University of Essex Postgraduate Research Studies scholarship (2003)

Professional memberships

• IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (Member) (from 2016 - )
• European Society of International Law (from 2024 -)
• Socio-Legal Studies Association (Member) (from 2016 -2018 )
• European Criminal Law Academic Network (Member) (from 2016 - )
• UACES (Member) (2016-2019)
• Spanish Association of International Law & International Relations (AEPDIRI) (Member of scientific committe, 2015)
• The International Society of Public Law (ICON-S) (from 2014 - )
• Society of Legal Scholars (Member) (from 2012 - 2020)
• Brazilian Bar Associaton (Member) (from 2002 - )
• American Society of International Law (Member) (2021-2022)

Academic positions

• 2020 - present: Reader in Law, Cardiff University
• 2015 - 2020: Senior Lecturer in Law, Cardiff University
• 2022: Visiting Associate Professor, National University of Singapore, Law School
• 2013-2015: Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Westminster
• 2009-2012: Lecturer in Environmental Law, Imperial College London
• 2010 - 2014: Teaching Associate in International Law, Queen Mary, University of London
• 2012: Visiting Lecturer in International Environmental Law, University College London
• 2004-2008: Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Essex

Speaking engagements

2023

• 'The Global Governance of Natural Resources in a Changing Climate' Staff-PGR Research Seminar Series, December, Cardiff University, Law & Politics School
• 'Biodiversity Loss and Criminal Justice: Challenges for European and International Cooperation' IUCN AEL annual colloquium, July, University of Easten Finland
• 'The "language" of ecocide and the prospects for criminalisation of serious and large-scale environmental harm in international criminal law', Cambridge International Law Journal annual conference on 'Language and International Law', April, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge

2022 

• 'Evaluation of the Recast EU Environmental Crime Directive Proposal' September European Environmental Law Forum (EELF) annual conference on 'Rethinking environmental law: Connectivity, Intersections, and Conflicts in the Global Environmental Crisis', September, University Rovira I Virgilli, Tarragona, Spain
• 'Marine Environmental Security in Areas beyond National Jurisdiction' September Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law working paper series, September, National University of Singapore, Law School (p/ invitation)
• 'The Case for a Global Agreement to combat illegal wildlife trade', July ICON-S annual conference on 'Global Problems and Prospects in Public Law', July, University of Wroclaw, Poland
• Opening remarks & Chair of closing keynote speech, workshop on 'Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Abuses and Natural Resources Governance: A Study in Global Law, Development and Justice', May, Centre for Human Rights and Public Law, Cardiff University
• Convenor of virtual two-day workshop: 'Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Abuses and Natural Resources Governance: A Study in Global Law, Development and Justice', May, Centre for Human Rights and Public Law, Cardiff University

2021

• 'The Escazu Agreement and Access to Justice before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights'  November 2021, Workshop on 'The Potential of Public Interest Litigation in International Law', University of Exeter, in collaboration with the University of Geneva.
• Online Workshop organisation: 'The Legal Protection of the Amazon: Past and Future Trends' November 2021 (in a collaboration between Western Sydney University, Cardiff University, School of Law & Politics, Griffith University's Tropical Primary Forests and Climate Change project, and the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at the Columbia Law School).
• Chair of Panel on 'Improving Environmental Frameworks and Institutions' ICEL / UC3M International Symposium 'Towards a Global Legal Framework in Harmony and Peace with Nature', Nov 2021, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (p/invitation)
• "The Environment and Indigenous People in the Context of the Armed Conflict and the Peacebuilding Process in Colombia: Implications for the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and International Criminal Justice." Environmental Justice Panel, October 2021 (w/ T. Krause), Colombia Connect and Instituto CAPAZ online conference (p/ invitation)
• Keynote Panel, 'The Future of the Environmental Crime Directive: The outcome from the EU Commission’s consultation and evaluation' September 2021, European Environmental Law Forum annual conference, University of Bournemouth (p/ invitation)
• 'Multi-level Cross-Border Responses to Illegal Wildlife Trade' September 2021, European Environmental Law Forum annual conference, University of Bournemouth 
• 'Closing Remarks' , 'Decarbonisation of Shipping and Environmental Governance' webinar, May, APCEL, National University of Singapore (p/ invitation)
• 'Community engagement in environmental criminal law enforcement', February, 7th Frontiers in Environmental Law annual colloquium, University of South Australia

2020

• Amnesty International, International Criminal Law and the Environment, October, Corporate Crimes (with a focus on the Middle East), Annual Retreat, (p/ invitation)
• Common Good Foundation, Environmental Crime Conference, October Jersey, United Kingdom
• Workshop organisation: Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Abuses and Natural Resources Governance: A Study in Global Law, Development and Justice, May, Cardiff University (postponed)

2019

• Brexit and Offshore Energy Projects, Sept - Marine Evidence conference, Swansea University
• Environmental Security in the High Seas: The Quest for Criminalisation, Cooperation and Effective Enforcement,' May, British Institute for International and Comparative Law (BIICL), London, Theory and International Law annual workshop
• 'Transnational Legal Responses to Global Environmental Crime' - Feb, ELSA Thessaloniki International Environmental Law conference, Thessaloniki, Greece (p/ invitation)

2018

• 'The quest for effective enforcement of environmental law in the European Union,' September, UCAES annual conference, University of Bath
• 'The quest for effective enforcement of environmental law in the European Union' August, European Environmental Law forum annual conference, Como, Italy.
• 'Community engagement in environmental criminal law enforcement' Society of Legal Scholars annual conference, Queen Mary, University of London.
• 'The Nexus between Energy Security and Climate Security' - July, IUCN AEL annual conference, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (with Quintavalla)
• 'The Nexus between Energy Security and Climate Security' - June, ICON-S annual conference, University of Hong Kong (with Quintavalla)
• 'Brexit and the Future of EU-UK energy and climate change cooperation' -  May, University of Cambridge, Department of Land Economy, Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (C-EENRG) (p/ invitation)

2017

• 'Towards an international crime of ecocide?' - November, Staff-PGR Student Seminar series (joinly organised with the CCLJ), Cardiff University, Law & Politics School
• 'Public Participation and the Environmental Rule of Law in Brazil' - September, OAS/UNEP 2nd conference on the environmental rule of law in the Americas, Santiago, Chile
• 'An International Crime of Ecocide?' - May-June,  IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, Reseach Workshop & 15th Annual Colloquium, Cebu, The Phillipines
• Workshop organisation: Transnational Criminal Justice and International Institutions - June, Cardiff University (funded by the Centre for Law and Society)

2016

• 'Tax Avoidance by Multinational Corporations and Natural Resources Sovereignty' - September, 17th Global Conference on Environmental Taxation, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
• 'Maritime Boundary Disputes in the East China Sea and Arctic' - June, ICON-S annual conference on 'Borders, Otherness, and Public Law', Humboldt University, Berlin

2015

• Comments on draft EU level policy recommendations - October
  EFFACE workshop: Enhancing the EU's effort to combat environmental crime - the path ahead, Queen Mary, University of London (p/ invitation)
• On the Implementation of the EU Environmental Crime Directive - The Example of Illegal Waste Disposal and Shipment Offences - September
  Effectiveness of Environmental Law, Aux Marseille Universite
• Developing the Principles of International Law for Interstate Cooperation and Settlement of Disputes over Shared Natural Resources - July
  Public Law in an Uncertain World, New York University (NYU)
• The EU Implementation of International Environmental Agreements - June
  The External Application of EU Law, AEPDIRI, Vigo, Spain (p/ invitation)
• Chair and moderator of the ‘UK, Europe and the Challenges of Global Trade’ panel session - April
  ‘The United Kingdom and The European Union: Challenges And Prospects for a Lasting Union’, Conference organized by the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies and Konrad Adenaer Stifung (p/ invitation)
• The Governance of Shared Natural Resources under International Law - February
  Rule of Law, Governance and Natural Resources,, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (workshop jointly organised with the University of Warwick) (p/ invitation).

2014

• Access to Justice before International and Regional Courts by Indigenous Peoples in the Context of Extractive Industry Projects - September
  Environmental and Planning Law Aspects of Large Scale Projects, European Environmental Law Forum conference
• Towards a Right to Clean Energy under International Law? - June
  Energy for a Fair Society in a Safe Planet, IUCN Annual Environmental Law Colloquium, Tarragona, Spain
• 'Environmental Crime in the High Seas' - June
  Rethinking the Boundaries of Public Law and Public Space, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
• The Future of the Principle of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources - June
  Theory and International Law, British Institute for International and Comparative Law (p/ invitation)
• Contested Spaces between States: international law and shared natural resources - June, Borders in the 21st Century, University of Lancaster, Law School, UK

Committees and reviewing

Member of Advisory Board, International Community Law Review (2013 - to present)

Guest Editor: Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law (Special Issue, July 2021)

Book Reviews Editor, European Energy and Environmental Law Review (2009-2012)

Expert Panel member for Research Councils, including Research Council Norway, National Science Center, Poland and the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Belgium (2016-2022)

Supervisions

I welcome Ph.D. proposals in the fields of international and EU environmental law, natural resources law and governance, the law of the sea, international economic law, comparative and European criminal law; and human rights law (particularly indigenous peoples' rights).

My current Ph.D. supervisees include:

- Abdurrahman Goren: 'Criminal Liability of Artificial Intelligence' (first supervisor)

- Jinnapat Pengnorapat: ‘Delisting of Species in Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Wildlife Conservation Laws’ (second supervisor)

- Hanadi Alhaidar: 'Corporate Governance Practices in Developing Countries: Case Study of Saudi Arabia' (second supervisor)

Past projects

- Dana Alduaij 'Ensuring Shariah Compliance in Islamic Financial Institutions as an Essential Interest of Shareholders' (second supervisor) (completed in February 2021)