On May 30, 2024, the seventh session of the Lex Proficia 2024 series of activities was successfully held online through the Zoom platform. This session raised an important and relevant theme, namely “Environmental and Animal Law”, by presenting two prominent speakers in their fields, namely Dr. A. Vijayalakshmi Venugopal, LL.B., LL.M., and Dr. Jane Kotzman, LL.B., LL.M..
The first session was presented by Dr. A. Vijayalakshmi Venugopal, a lecturer from Taylor’s University Malaysia who discussed the topic “Animal Stereotypes”. Dr. Vijayalakshmi elaborated on how animal stereotypes can affect legal decision-making and policies implemented. She highlighted various cases where these stereotypes have negatively impacted animal protection and advocated for a more fair and scientifically based approach to the law.
Dr. Jane Kotzman of Deakin University in Australia presented on the topic of animals and the triple planetary crisis in the second session of the Lex Proficia 2024 event. She discussed the interrelated crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and emphasized the role of animals in ecosystems and the impact of these crises on them. Dr. Kotzman urged participants to recognize the connection between global environmental issues and animal welfare and stressed the need for comprehensive legal action to address these crises. Over 70 participants from various backgrounds and neighboring countries engaged in an interactive discussion, demonstrating a high level of interest and concern. The session concluded with a moderator thanking the speakers and participants and expressing hopes that the discussion would inspire ongoing efforts to advocate for improved laws for the environment and animals. Lex Proficia 2024 remains committed to organizing meaningful and impactful discussions on important topics.
