The Law and Governance of Existential Risks (LGER)
Aims
There is a growing concern in the scientific community and the wider public about existential risks caused by scientific experiments and technological progress. An existential risk is one that threatens to cause the extinction of all human beings on earth and hotly debated areas are, for instance, specific types of research in biotechnology, certain types of geoengineering, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI): One can think of a virus that is modified such that its pathogenicity is enhanced, enabling it to cause a global pandemic (these are so called gain of function experiments (GOF)); one could think of experiments where large amounts of sulfur dioxide gas is injected into the stratosphere so that more sunlight is reflected, potentially changing our climate system (so-called solar radiation management).
Discussing the topic of existential risks means dealing with essential questions concerning the future of humankind: What responsibilities do States and even the international community as a whole have to reduce and manage these risks? Can these risks be effectively minimized without disproportionately restricting legitimate science and technological progress? How can we rationally deal with high risk scenarios in the area of scientific research if the research is intended to solve problems of humankind (for instance fight global warming; fight an epidemic etc.)? Are there gaps in the legal framework that must be addressed on an international level?
Members of the Research Group
Silja Voeneky |
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Prof. Dr., Director Institute of Public International Law and Ethics of Law, University of Freiburg, currently Fellow Harvard Law School, Human Rights Program, Academic Year 2015 / 16. | |
voelkerrecht@jura.uni-freiburg existrisks@jura.uni-freiburg.de Phone: +49.761.203-2206 |
Research Assistants
Jakob Jürgensen |
Phone: +49.761.203-2349 |
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Natalie Lamp |
Phone: +49.761.203-2349 |
natalie.lamp@jura.uni-freiburg.de |
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Phone: +49.761.203-2349 |
Current Research Projects
- Voeneky, Silja: Existential Risks, the Precautionary Principle, and Human Rights (Harvard Law School, Human Rights Program), Download Precis
- Beck, Felix: State Liability and Channeling of Liability for Transboundary Environmental Harm in International Law (Staatenhaftung und völkerrechtliche Haftungsverteilung für grenzüberschreitende Umweltschäden, Dissertation, University of Freiburg)
- Hammel, Lena: The Regulation of Existential Risks caused by Research and Technical Developments from the Perspective of International Law and Ethics (Die Regulierung von existentiellen Risiken durch Forschung und Technik aus völkerrechtlicher und rechtsethischer Sicht, Dissertation, University of Freiburg)
- Teetzmann, Constantin: Protection against Scientific Knowledge? The Regulation of Dual-Use Research in the Field of Life Sciences (Schutz vor Wissen? Möglichkeiten des Umgangs mit Forschung mit doppeltem Verwendungszweck und ihre Rechtsbedingungen, Dissertation, University of Freiburg)
Articles (Download)
- Voeneky, Silja: Bioterrorism in the 21st Century, Scientific Freedom, and Democracy – Legal Options for the Reduction of Dual-Use Risks (Bioterrorismus im 21. Jahrhundert, Wissenschaftsfreiheit und Demokratie – Rechtliche Möglichkeiten der Reduktion von Dual-Use-Risiken), Freiburger Informationspapiere zum Völkerrecht und Öffentlichen Recht 2015, Vol. 7, p. 1 et seq. (27 p.)
- Huebler, Anna-Katharina: Ebola – International Disaster Response to a Global Health Emergency, Freiburger Informationspapiere zum Völkerrecht und Öffentlichen Recht 2015, Vol. 6, p. 1 et seq. (27 p.)
- Teetzmann, Constantin: Legal Restrictions of Research in the Biological Sciences Justified by the Risks of Misuse (Mit Missbrauchsrisiken begründete rechtliche Beschränkungen der Forschung in den Biowissenschaften), Ordnung der Wissenschaft 2015, Vol. 2, p. 89 et seq.
- Voeneky, Silja: Biosecurity – Freedom, Responsibility, and Legitimacy of Research, Ordnung der Wissenschaft 2015, Vol. 2, p. 117 et seq.
- Voeneky, Silja / Teetzmann, Constantin et al (eds.): Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Freedom or Research, Collected Papers, Ordnung der Wissenschaft 2015, Vol. 2
- Teetzmann, Constantin: Security in Biological Research: Questions of Law – Opinion for the German Ethics Council (Rechtsfragen der Sicherheit in der biologischen Forschung. Gutachten für den Deutschen Ethikrat), Freiburger Informationspapiere zum Völkerrecht und Öffentlichen Recht 2014, Vol. 4, p. 1 et seq. (313 p.)
- Voeneky, Silja: Opinion on the Recommendation of the Commission for a Code of Conduct for Responsible Research in the Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (Stellungnahme zu der Empfehlung der Kommission für einen Verhaltenskodex für verantwortungsvolle Forschung im Bereich der Nanowissenschaften und -technologien), Informationspapiere der Max-Planck-Forschungsgruppe „Demokratische Legitimation ethischer Entscheidungen“, 2008, Vol. 8, p. 1 et seq.
Presentations (Podcasts)
- Voeneky, Silja: Legitimate Governance of Existential Risks, Syposium: Human Rights, Democracy, and Legitimacy in the 21st Century, Harvard Law School, Cambridge/US, 04.05.2016
- Voeneky, Silja: Human Rights as Basic for Governing Existential Risks, Lunchtime Talk, Centre for the Studies of Existential Risks, Robinson College, Cambridge/UK, 20.04.2016
- Voeneky, Silja: How to Govern Existential Risks and Gain of Function Studies of Concern? Seminar at the Future Humanity Institute, University of Oxford/UK, 20.04.2016
- Voeneky, Silja: Existential Risks by Scientific Experiments and Technological Progress: Hard Questions - No International Human Rights Law? Human Rights Programm, Harvard Law School. 06.04.2016
- Voeneky, Silja: International Dimensions of Gain of Function Research, Symposium: Gain of Function Research, National Academies of Science, Washington, D.C./US, 10.03.2016 (Webcast)
- Voeneky, Silja: Existential Risks, the Precautionary Principle, and Human Rights, Harvard Law School, Human Rights Program, Cambridge / USA, October 2015
- Voeneky, Silja: Bioterrorism in the 21st Century, Scientific Freedom, and Democracy – Legal Options for the Reduction of Dual-Use Risks (Bioterrorismus im 21. Jahrhundert, Wissenschaftsfreiheit und Demokratie – Rechtliche Möglichkeiten der Reduktion von Dual-Use-Risiken), 13. Veranstaltung „FreiRäume – Politik trifft Wissenschaft“, Deutsche Parlamentarische Gesellschaft, Berlin / Germany, 2 July 2015
- Voeneky, Silja: Interdisciplinary Strategy Meeting: Gain-of-Function Research with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses - Global Impacts and Public Engagement, George Washington University / USA, 23 March 2015
- Voeneky, Silja: Danger coming from the laboratory: What are the Limits of Research? (Gefahr aus dem Labor: Wie weit darf Forschung gehen?), Herrenhäuser Forum Mensch-Natur-Technik, VW Stiftung, Hanover / Germany, 5 February 2015
- Voeneky, Silja: Biosecurity - Freedom and Responsibility of Research, Symposium Dual-Use on Microbes: Biosafety, Biosecurity, Responsibility, VW-Stiftung und Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Hanover, 11 December 2014
- Voeneky, Silja: Biosecurity - A Way Forward, UN Meeting of State Parties, Biological Weapons Convention, Geneva / CH, 4 December 2014
- Voeneky, Silja: Biosecurity and the Work of the German Ethics Council, International Conference on Biological and Chemical Security on an Age of Responsible Innovation, Royal Society, London / UK, 19 November 2014
- Voeneky, Silja: Biosecurity – Freedom and Responsibility in Research (Biosicherheit – Freiheit und Verantwortung in der Wissenschaft), Jahrestreffen Arbeitskreis Abrüstung und Nichtverbreitung biologischer und chemischer Waffen, Berlin, 20 October 2014
- Voeneky, Silja: Bioethics and the Ethicalization of Law (Bioethik und die Ethisierung des Rechts), Studium Generale, University of Freiburg, 30 July 2014
- Voeneky, Silja: Biosecurity – Freedom, Responsibility, and Questions of Democratic Legitimation (Biosicherheit - Freiheit, Verantwortung und Fragen demokratischer Legitimation), Interdisziplinäres Symposium, Universität Freiburg: Das Missbrauchsrisiko in den Biowissenschaften – Biosicherheitsrelevante Forschung zwischen Freiheit, Fortschritt und Verantwortung, University of Freiburg, 3 July 2014
- Teetzmann, Constantin: Biosecurity-Relevant Research Between Freedom, Progress, and Responsibility (Biosicherheitsrelevante Forschung zwischen Freiheit, Fortschritt und Verantwortung), Interdisziplinäres Symposium, Universität Freiburg: Das Missbrauchsrisiko in den Biowissenschaften – Biosicherheitsrelevante Forschung zwischen Freiheit, Fortschritt und Verantwortung, University of Freiburg, 3 July 2014,
- Voeneky, Silja: Biomedical Law under Examination by the ECtHR: Encroachment of Basic Rights and the Doctrine of the Margin of Appreciation (Das Recht der Biomedizin auf dem Prüfstand des EGMR - Grundrechtseingriffe und die Lehre vom weiten Beurteilungsspielraum des nationalen Gesetzgebers), University of Graz / Austria, 30 May 2014
- Voeneky, Silja: The Recommendation of the German Ethics Council on Biosecurity-Relevant Research (Die Empfehlung des Deutschen Ethikrates zur biosicherheitsrelevanten Forschung), Presentation Press Conference, Berlin, 7 May 2014
- Voeneky, Silja: Foundations of the "Ethicalization of Law" / Grundlagen einer Ethisierung des Rechts, Symposium: Technical Options and Ethical-Legal Responsibility, Münchner Kompetenzzentrum Ethik, EU Projekt RoboLaw, Lehrstuhl für Politische Philosophie, University of Munich, 19 November 2013
- Voeneky, Silja: Ethical Law?! The Ethicalization of Scientific and Biomedical Law (Ethisches Recht?! Die Ethisierung des Wissenschafts- und Biomedizinrechts), University of Munich, 24 May 2012
- Voeneky, Silja: Necessary Changes and Improvements of the Commission Recommendation on a Code of Conduct for Responsible Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies Research, Berlin, Representation of the EU-Commission, 16 September 2009
- Voeneky, Silja: Global Research – Local Rules? Chances and Limits of International Agreements on Bioethics (Globale Forschung – lokale Regeln? Chancen und Grenzen internationaler Vereinbarungen zu Bioethik), Presentation National Ethics Council, Berlin, 25 April 2006
PhD Projects (forthcoming)
- Huebler, Anna-Katharina: International Legal Duties of States and Private Actors in the Event of a Disaster (Verhaltenspflichten staatlicher und privater Akteure im völkerrechtlichen Katastrophenfall, Dissertation, University of Freiburg, forthcoming 2016)
- Klesen, Raphael: Legal Issues of Autonomous Rescue Systems (Rechtsfragen autonomer Rettungssysteme, Dissertation University of Freiburg, forthcoming 2016)
Institutes dealing with Existential Risks
- Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, UK
- Future of Humanity Institute, Oxford Martin School & Faculty of Philosophy, UK
- Future of Life Institute, Boston, USA
Further Articles, Documents, and Studies
- Existential Risks in General / Background
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Biosecurity / Biosafety
- Geoengineering / Climate Change
Events 2015/2016
- Cambridge Conference on Catastrophic Risk 2016, 12 -14 December 2016, Clare College, Cambridge, Managing Emerging Risks - Where next?
- Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) Symposium, Montréal / CAN, 10 December 2015
- Conference “Roboterethik“, Daimler und Benz Stiftung, Berlin / Germany, 24 November 2015
- CSER, Pushing the limits, public lecture with Professor Jane Heal, Cambridge / UK, 20 November 2015
- For further events please follow us on http://twitter.com/#!/@PublicIntLaw
Contact
Institute of Public Law
Department 2 (Public International Law and Comparative Law) - Prof. Dr. Silja Voeneky
Platz der Alten Synagoge 1
79098 Freiburg im Breisgau
Germany
Phone: +49.761.203-2206
Fax: +49.761.203-67683