CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE INNOVATION
International Law Research Program (ILRP)
About CIGI
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is an independent, non-partisan think tank
focused on international governance. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics,
CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral
governance improvements. Conducting an active agenda of research, events and publications, CIGI's
interdisciplinary work includes collaboration with policy, business and academic communities around
the world.
CIGI strives to be the world's leading think tank on international governance, with recognized impact
on significant global problems. It builds bridges from knowledge to power, by conducting worldleading research and analysis, and influencing policy makers to innovate.
CIGI's research programs focus on three main streams: global economy, global security and politics,
and international law. Founded in 2001, CIGI collaborates with several research affiliates and gratefully
acknowledges support from a number of funding partners, in particular the Government of Canada
and the Government of Ontario.
International Law Research Program (ILRP)
Globalization and the increased interaction and integration of governments, peoples, environments,
businesses, technologies, products and ideas present new governance challenges that call for a
reassessment, revision and reinforcement of the international rule of law. As a multicultural and
multilingual nation of indigenous peoples and immigrants, defined by good governance, rule of law
and respect for human rights, Canada is well-positioned to exercise global leadership in improving the
international rule of law. With its global and regional networks of influence and an advanced economy
reliant on trade and investment, information technology and innovation, and with actual or potential
competitive advantage in finance, energy, extractive industries and the environment, Canada has
much to contribute and much to gain through improving the globalized rule of law.
CIGI’s International Law Research Program (ILRP) is unique in being a non-partisan think tank
straddling and leveraging academic, business and governmental perspectives, and focused on
understanding and improving international law for better global governance. With funding of $60
Million over ten years from the Province of Ontario and a private donation, the ILRP is located at the
award-winning CIGI Campus in uptown Waterloo, Ontario.


The ILRP’s vision is to strive to be the world’s leading international law think tank on
international governance, with recognized impact on how international law is brought to bear
on significant global issues.
The ILRP mission is to seek to connect knowledge, policy and practice to build the international
law framework - the globalized rule of law - to support international governance of the future.
Its founding belief is that better international governance including a strengthened
international law framework can improve the lives of people everywhere, increase prosperity,
ensure global sustainability, address inequality and safeguard human rights, and promote a
more secure world. The ILRP will focus on the areas of international law that are most
important to global innovation, prosperity, sustainability and security.
Through its International Law Research Program CIGI will provide opportunities for stakeholders in the
public and private sectors to collaborate in advancing their knowledge and understanding of
international law, and in exploring theoretical approaches to international law and testing them in
practice. Benefitting from CIGI’s multi-disciplinary research environment the ILRP will endeavour to
find innovative and creative ways for international law to improve global governance. ILRP research
will contribute to multi-disciplinary work across CIGI’s other Programs, for example, providing
international law support to CIGI research on Internet governance, Arctic governance and Climate
change governance.
The ILRP will develop concentric circles of knowledge and influence, from local and provincial to
national and international spheres, connecting all with cutting edge, relevant and practical
international law research and policy advice. As appropriate to further its research agenda the ILRP
will engage individual international law experts from academia, the public and private sectors, law
faculties and other relevant academic institutions, professional organizations, all levels of government,
international governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and other international
institutions.
Through its networks of influence the ILRP will produce truly world-class workshops, conferences,
reports and policy briefs. It will become an established and internationally recognized international law
think tank and centre of excellence focused on global governance. The ILRP envisions employing up to
19 Senior Fellow full time equivalents as research, consulting, and mentoring experts. Complementing
this will be a cohort of Research Fellows and Post-Doctoral Researchers, and up to 10 student
researcher\practitioners and 20 graduate scholarship recipients. CIGI Campus residency requirements
for all graduate scholarship recipients and post-doctoral fellows will deepen and widen future
international law research networks.
In consultation with public, private and academic sector experts in international and transnational law
the ILRP has developed a strategic plan focused on advancing knowledge and understanding in three
vital areas of international law, detailed below: international economic law, international intellectual
property law and international environmental law.
International Economic Law
International economic law is a vast field, which for purposes of research focus has been subdivided into
three key areas.
1.
International Regulation of Sovereign Debt & Cross-border Insolvency Resolution
i. Cross-Border Resolution of Insolvency

Studying the governance issues and legal frameworks related to cross-border
resolution involving global systematically important financial institutions

Examining the governance challenges related to cross-border resolution of
insolvency - interests and roles of governance institutions e.g. G20, Financial
Stability Board, UNCITRAL and UNIDROIT

Determining how international law should address governance challenges related to
cross-border resolution of insolvency
ii. Sovereign Debt
2.

Studying the governance issues and legal frameworks related to sovereign debt

Examining the governance challenges related sovereign debt - interests and roles of
governance institutions e.g. World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European
Central Bank, Paris Club, London Club etc.

Determining how international law should respond to the governance challenges
related to sovereign debt
Evolution of Regulation in the Global Value Chain

Analyzing how the globalized value chain leads to harmonization of industry, national,
and regional voluntary and regulatory standards

Assessing developments in domestic tort law and private international law relating to
accountability of multinational corporations operating in multiple jurisdictions

3.
Examining the dynamics of new actors and new rule-makers in the global value chain, and
of the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Reshaping International Trade & Investment Law

Analyzing how well international trade and investment law are responding to urgent
global policy challenges such as climate change, global finance, innovation gaps and
Internet commerce

Determining how well international trade and investment law accommodate investor
protection, policy freedom and democratic governance

Examining emerging issues in the governance of multilateral and preferential trade
agreements

Assessing the use of investor-state arbitration in diverse contexts (case studies)
International Environmental Law
The ILRP’s research in this area aims to advance effective use of science-based national, international and
transnational law to protect the environment, reverse climate change and achieve sustainable prosperity.
Within each of three sub themes there are many potential avenues to explore:
1.
2.
International Environmental Agreements

Assessing the efficacy of bilateral or regional environmental agreements versus multilateral
environmental agreements through multi-disciplinary research and analysis

Addressing international law and governance challenges between competing international
legal systems (trade and investment)
Extractive Industries and Energy Sectors

Analyzing issues pertaining to the transnational extractive industry, including engagement of
indigenous peoples and doing business in poor governance regimes

Studying the implications for domestic, international, and transnational law and governance
from developments in international human rights and sustainable development law.
3.
Climate Change

Addressing and reversing climate change utilizing domestic, international, and transnational
law-based, market-based and human rights approaches (case studies)

Exploring regional and international legal frameworks and governance mechanisms to
facilitate transition to a low carbon global economy
International Intellectual Property Law
The ILRP’s study of international intellectual property (IIP) law will focus on four key aspects, but will evolve
with the pace of innovation and related international law governance challenges.
1. IP and Green / Climate Change Technology Innovation

Investigating how technology innovation and its transfer play a fundamental role in addressing climate
change, adapting to it and mitigating its harmful effects

Examining how IIP, trade and investment, and environmental law should be reconciled to respond to
the global challenge of climate change and sustainable development
2. Adaptation of Legal Frameworks for Innovation

Assessing whether IIP law is well-adapted to support innovation

Studying emerging, experimental and effective vehicles, tools or models to overcome intellectual
property law obstacles and accelerate innovation

Examining how international and domestic legal frameworks should be modified to support new
vehicles, tools or models of innovation
3. Advantages & Disadvantages of Multilateral versus Regional Intellectual Property Instruments

Investigating the impact and efficacy of IIP legal regimes on innovation, sustainability, and
development nationally through multidisciplinary methodology and case analysis

Evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of multilateral versus like-minded or regional
international intellectual property law rules through multi-disciplinary case studies, considering
historical, geographic and developmental perspectives
4. Management of Intellectual Property in the Global Market

Exploring how national, international, and transnational intellectual property law frameworks and
practices can be shaped to serve as tools for enhancing innovation, stimulating the development of
new markets and disseminating knowledge to the public
Cross-disciplinary Research
There are several thematic overlaps between the three CIGI research programs. The ILRP is currently
working with the Global Security program on the Global Commission on Internet Governance
addressing the different models of governance for ICANN’s future. The overarching goal will be to
advance the understanding of potential governance arrangements for the transfer the Internet
Assigned Name Authority (IANA) function to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN). The research paper seeks to advance recommendations aimed at creating an
institutional governance arrangement for the IANA and the Domain Name System which is seen as
legitimate, and which adequately incorporates provisions around accountability and transparency. It
will seek to explore mechanisms which hold the potential to secure the future of the Internet as a
stable, open and responsibly governed platform for economic growth and social innovation.
The ILRP is also collaborating with the Global Economy program on governance issues related to cross
border insolvency and sovereign debt. Both programs are currently working on a cross-border
resolution commentary paper.
It is anticipated that going forward there will be increasing opportunities for interdisciplinary
collaboration between the three CIGI research programs.