Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

LightNews

Markus W. Gehring

@mwgehring.bsky.social

4K followers 670 following 1.1K posts

EU & International Sustainable Development Lawyer; Professor of European & International Law @cambridgelaw.bsky.social Deputy Proctor @cam.ac.uk Fellow @eulegalstudies.bsky.social @hugheshall.bsky.social @lauterpachtcentre.bsky.social @cisdl.bsky.social. .. more

Markus Gehring is an international jurist specialised in European and international trade law, and both fellow and director of studies in law at Hughes Hall at University of Cambridge. He is also a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. .. more

Political science 42%

Environmental science 15%

more

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 21d

In discussions, I’ve now repeatedly heard that the US has no climate law obligations beyond UNFCCC after leaving the Paris Agreement in 2026. That is categorically wrong. Let’s remind our US friends of the customary int’l law obligations still incumbent upon them.
verfassungsblog.de/customary-la...

When Custom Binds All States

verfassungsblog.de

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 2h

The shocking lawlessness will eventually lead to an end of the American Republic - CLU is right: the latest in a long list of brazen abuses of power by President Trump

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Letitia James: New York attorney general criminally indicted

James, who led a civil fraud case against US President Donald Trump, was indicted in Alexandria, Virginia.

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

European Environmental Bureau🍃 @eeb.org · 19h

🫣 Don't look down*

Europe is quietly turning from green to grey: from 2018-2023, we lost 9,000 km² of nature and cropland to construction. That's an area the size of Cyprus.

And every layer of soil lost erodes our ability to grow food, filter water, and buffer weather extremes.

greentogrey.eu

Green to Grey – How Europe is squandering the little nature it has left

Green to Grey is a pioneering collaboration between journalists and scientists counting every green space lost in Europe between January 2018 and December 2023.

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 20h

Join us Tuesday 5pm @cambridgelaw.bsky.social Moot Court for Climate Change in Tribunals and Treaties: Insights on the ICJ and other Advisory Opinions on Climate Change and the upcoming UNFCCC @cop30brazil.bsky.social Roundtable.

Hybrid (in-person and via Zoom): us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Climate Change in Tribunals and Treaties: Insights on ICJ and other Advisory Opinions on Climate Change and Plans for the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil. After regi...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Climate Change in Tribunals and Treaties: Insights on ICJ and other Advisory Opinions on Climate Change and Plans for the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil. After regi...

us02web.zoom.us

Reposted by Anand Menon, Jill Rutter

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 20h

Warm invitation @eulegalstudies.bsky.social annual lecture with the most inspiring @ukandeu.bsky.social Director Prof @anandmenon.bsky.social with Reflections on the Brexit ‘Revolution’ - please join us @cambridgelaw.bsky.social on 3 Nov 5.30pm - open to all.

www.cels.law.cam.ac.uk/press/events...

2025-26 Mackenzie Stuart Lecture: 'Reflections on the Brexit

Speaker: Professor Anand Menon, Director, UK in a Changing Europe Biography: Anand Menon is Director of the UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s

www.cels.law.cam.ac.uk

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 21h

Strong start to the academic year at CEENRG with a discussion on how important financial indices are in addressing climate and nature risk with Andrew Sulston and Prof Ellen Quigley @landeconomy.bsky.social
@cam.ac.uk

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge @hugheshall.bsky.social · 22h

Term has begun!🙌 As the academic year starts, Hughes Hall President, Sir Laurie Bristow, welcomes students new and returning to college.✨🦉

Read his welcome letter here:
www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/student-cent...

President’s welcome - Hughes Hall

Welcome to Hughes Hall. A community of education and research for the 21st century. As the new academic year starts, I am writing to welcome you to Hughes Hall. And to offer a particularly warm…

www.hughes.cam.ac.uk

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 23h

Among all the Tories’ illiterate plans is to cut 100.000 uni places.

Badenoch wants HE institutions would to be subject to recruitment caps for courses “on the basis of quality and graduate outcomes”.

The @ucu.org.uk is spot: the plan is “economically illiterate”.

feweek.co.uk/badenoch-ill...

Badenoch: I'll double apprenticeships budget by slashing uni degrees

Leader of the opposition would reintroduce student number controls for 'poor quality' uni courses to fund apprenticeship boost

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org · 1d

At the #IUCNCongress opening, HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa (Morocco) reaffirmed the Mohammed VI Foundation’s commitment to embed conservation in national policies & stressed the vital role of youth in ensuring AI is used equitably & inclusively to tackle environmental challenges.

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org · 1d

“This is not another pavilion; it is a pavilion that makes history," said Grethel Aguilar, General Director, IUCN, during the opening of the first Indigenous Pavilion, stressing there is “no possibility to conserve the planet without Indigenous Peoples, who are at the front line defending nature.

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org · 1d

“We meet at a decisive moment. Multilateralism is strained, yet a new spirit of cooperation is emerging." This #IUCNCongress is our chance to turn understanding into unity & unity into action – Razan Al Mubarak, IUCN President at opening ceremony.

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org · 1d

Happening now #IUCNcongress Congress Opening Ceremony themed "Revitalising global governance for nature and people." speakers will highlight the value of multilateralism in a polarised world!

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

University of Cambridge @cam.ac.uk · 1d

Matriculation moments ⭐

Can you spot yourself in these Matriculation photos at @trinityhallcamb.bsky.social, @pembroke1347.bsky.social, @peterhousecam.bsky.social and @stcatharines.bsky.social?

#Cambridge #CambridgeUniversity #UniversityOfCambridge

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

IBA Events @ibaevents.bsky.social · 1d

💻TOMORROW: #IBAWebinar 'Climate change: implications of the International Court of Justice & Inter-American Court of Human Rights advisory opinions for corporations'

🗓️9 October 🕓1200-1315 BST

✍️Register➡ bit.ly/IBAWeb-9Oct ⭐FREE to Attend!

#Law

Reposted by Sabine Pahl, Markus W. Gehring

European Commission @ec.europa.eu · 1d

Freedom to love. Freedom to be.

Today, we've adopted our new LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026–2030, focusing on protecting people from violence, ensuring equal rights, and advancing equality for all.

Because equality and freedom are at the heart of Europe.

More ↓
link.europa.eu/dDRf4r

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge @hugheshall.bsky.social · 2d

Student Stories: Meant to be here

"From buying a gown to living in Chancellor’s Court & spending evenings in the MCR, Hughes became a second home."🌟

Kudzai Chivenga reflects on her time at Hughes as a Stormzy Scholar.

www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/about/news/b...
@landeconomy.bsky.social

BHM25: Meant to be here - Hughes Hall

Kudzai Chivenga (2021, BA Land Economy) reflects on her time at Hughes as a Stormzy Scholar. From matriculation dinners to buying a gown, living in Chancellor’s Court, and spending countless evenings…

www.hughes.cam.ac.uk

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 2d

Greatly enjoying Marco’s ‘those declared dead, live longer’ @esil-sedi.bsky.social essay - ‘Where we go from this precipice, and just how bad things really end up being, is contingent.‘ I could not agree more.

Dystopian International Law www.ejiltalk.org/dystopian-in...

Dystopian International Law

There is now a whole genre of scholarship in which international lawyers ruminate on the disastrous state of the world – Philippa Webb and Lydia Kim recently did a good survey of it here on the blog. ...

www.ejiltalk.org

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d

"Political and media attacks on renewable energy and climate action in Australia in recent months have come 'out of the climate obstruction playbook' that has been honed over decades around the world by fossil fuel interests."

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Media and political attacks on Australia’s emissions targets ‘straight out of the climate obstruction playbook’, expert says

Prof Christian Downie points to the Business Council of Australia and News Corp newspapers as examples of deliberate obstruction

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

University of Cambridge @cam.ac.uk · 2d

Congratulations to alumnus Prof John Clarke, who has been jointly awarded The Nobel Prize in #Physics – making this Cambridge's 126th Nobel win 🏆 👏

Read about his work and his long connection with Cambridge:
bit.ly/42PUIh1

#Science @cambridgephysics.bsky.social @darwincollegecam.bsky.social

Cambridge alumnus awarded 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics

University of Cambridge alumnus Professor John Clarke has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis,

Reposted by Michael Gerrard, Markus W. Gehring

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law @sabincenter.bsky.social · 3d

💻⚖️🌏 Register for @climatepolicyradar.bsky.social's #webinar on October 8 to join experts from the Sabin Center,
@granthamicl.bsky.social and @biicl.bsky.social as they review global climate litigation. The presentation will demonstrate the new Climate Litigation Database: buff.ly/l86RRwy

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 3d

I could not agree more with Chris and Benoit in this briefing - ditching netzero is simply a terrible idea www.reading.ac.uk/news/2025/Ex...

Climate Change Act repeal expert comments - University of Reading

www.reading.ac.uk

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Faculty of Law @cambridgelaw.bsky.social · 3d

📖@lexisnexisuk.bsky.social has published the new 'The Law and Practice of Human Rights' by David Blundell KC, Miranda Butler and Alistair Mills ( @magdalenecollege.bsky.social) - all from @landmarkch.bsky.social:

🔗https://www.law.cam.ac.uk/press/news/2025/10/law-and-practice-human-rights

The Law and Practice of Human Rights

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Plant Treaty @planttreaty.bsky.social · 3d

Seeds are our past, present & future.

At #Seeds2Foods (10-13 Oct, Rome), visit the replica of the Global Seed Vault & learn how the @fao.org Intl Plant Treaty, @nordgen.bsky.social & @croptrust.bsky.social safeguard the world's crop diversity.

www.fao.org/seeds-to-foo...

#ItAllStartsWithTheSeed🌱

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge @hugheshall.bsky.social · 4d

How can we address extreme risks?🚨

Kennedy Mbeva, Hughes Fellow and Research Associate at the Centre for Existential Risk at Cambridge, focuses his research on the governance of global catastrophic risk.🌎

Learn more about what that means⬇️
youtu.be/Nnig4ifEBOY?...
@cser.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk

Dr Kennedy Mbeva

Research Stories: Remarkable people, groundbreaking work, global impact. In this series, our researchers talk about their work and the difference it is making around the world, from tackling climate…

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Right Livelihood @rightlivelihood.org · 4d

We call for the immediate release of all humanitarians, journalists and human rights defenders detained for bringing aid to Gaza, including @thunberggreta.bsky.social, held after joining a peaceful flotilla.

Israel must end its genocide and starvation in Gaza!

Right Livelihood calls for Laureate Greta Thunberg’s release from Israeli detention and an end to Israel’s genocide and starvation in Gaza - Right Livelihood

STOCKHOLM – We at the Right Livelihood Foundation urgently call upon the State of Israel to immediately and unconditionally release 2019 Right Livelihood Laureate Greta Thunberg, currently in detenti...

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 4d

Very worthwhile read: Another Brick in the Wall of KlimaSeniorinnen: The @coe.int Committee of Ministers’ September 2025 Monitoring Decision www.ejiltalk.org/another-bric...

Another Brick in the Wall of KlimaSeniorinnen: The Committee of Ministers’ September 2025 Monitoring Decision

1. Introduction It has been more than a year since the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its groundbreaking climate judgment in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland...

www.ejiltalk.org

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 5d

Such an important report - impressive work by @sabincenter.bsky.social @matigre.bsky.social and the @unep.org Law team. You ignore climate law at your peril.

UN Environment Programme @unep.org · 6d

Climate change has entered the courtroom. Around the world, legal action is emerging as a powerful driver for #ClimateAction and accountability.

Discover UNEP’s latest report on how climate litigation is reshaping global climate policy: www.unep.org/news-and-sto...

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 5d

After science and economic illiteracy from the Tories on netzero, here comes legal illiteracy on the ECHR. Trade with the EU is threatened by the netzero departure but will be grind to a screeching halt by leaving the ECHR, together with data flows and criminal coop.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

UK will leave ECHR if Tories win election, Badenoch says

The European Convention on Human Rights has become a focal point in debates around changing immigration policy.

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 6d

"We all learned long ago on the playground that trying to appease a bully only makes things worse. It’s equally hard to imagine how higher education will recover if colleges and universities begin conceding to Mr. Trump’s illegal compact." Thank you Erwin Chemerinsky

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion

www.nytimes.com

Markus W. Gehring @mwgehring.bsky.social · 6d

Oh look @ledbydonkeys.org must have opened a branch in the USA. Amazing work.

Agence France-Presse @afp.com · 6d

🇺🇸 Une statue satirique montrant Donald Trump et le délinquant sexuel Jeffrey Epstein se tenant par la main a été remise en place jeudi sur le National Mall à Washington, à quelques pas du Capitole, a constaté l'AFP
➡️ u.afp.com/SmUS

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

Agence France-Presse @afp.com · 6d

🇺🇸 Une statue satirique montrant Donald Trump et le délinquant sexuel Jeffrey Epstein se tenant par la main a été remise en place jeudi sur le National Mall à Washington, à quelques pas du Capitole, a constaté l'AFP
➡️ u.afp.com/SmUS