National Museum of Iceland (Lecture Hall)
Conference on Sovereignty and Natural Resources What does state sovereignty over natural resources entail? Who owns, manages, and benefits from the use of resources within state jurisdiction? The aim of the conference is to create an important forum for discussion on ownership, resource management, and the utilisation of natural resources. At the conference, domestic and international experts in the field will address these issues. Among the foreign speakers are Nico Schrijver, Professor Emeritus at Leiden University, who has been a leading scholar on state sovereignty over natural resources and resource governance, and Richard Barnes, Professor at the University of Lincoln, known for his research on property rights in natural resources and the rights of states to exploit marine resources. The conference will also address the need for a constitutional amendment to ensure that the constitution contains provision on natural resources. Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, Professor and former President of Iceland, will open the conference. Other speakers include Hafsteinn Dan Kristjánsson, Professor at Reykjavik University; Kristinn Már Reynisson, lawyer; Páll Þórhallsson, Director at the Prime Minister’s Office; Ragnheiður Elfa Þorsteinsdóttir, Associate Professor at the University of Akureyri; and Snjólaug Árnadóttir, Associate Professor at Reykjavik University. The conference will be chaired by Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir, Professor at the University of Iceland. The conference will be held in English.
Programme:
Conference of the Institute of Law at the University of Iceland
Sovereignty over Natural Resources
What are the key challenges when exercising sovereignty over natural resources?
Thursday, 9 October 2025, 9-16
Venue: The Lecture Hall of the National Museum of Iceland
Conference Chair: Dr. Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir, Professor, Environmental Law, University of Iceland, Faculty of Law
I. SOVEREIGNTY OVER NATURAL RESOURCES
8 45 Coffee
9 00 Welcome remarks: Dr. Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir
9 05 Opening Address: Dr. Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, Professor and former President of Iceland 2016-2024: „Our next step in the struggle for independence“ Iceland’s fight for full sovereignty over its fishing grounds in the twentieth century.
9 20 Dr. Nico Schrijver Emeritus Professor, Leiden Law School: National sovereignty over natural resources at bay by the Great Powers’ appetite for mineral resources.
9 45 Ragnheiður Elfa Þorsteinsdóttir, lecturer and PhD student: Establishing the concept: sovereignty over natural resources and the Icelandic Constitution.
10 05 Coffee Break
10 20 Dr. Richard Barnes, Professor in International Law, University of Lincoln: The impact of the human right to property on the governance of marine resources.
10 45 Dr. Hafsteinn Dan Kristjánsson, Professor at Law, University of Reykjavík, Natural resources, sovereignty and national ownership.
11 05 Panel Discussions
Moderator: Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir, Professor
11 45 Lunch Break
II. RESOURCES OF ICELAND, SOVEREIGNTY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
13 30 Structuring of the second part: Dr. Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir
13 35 Dr. Kristinn Már Reynisson, lawyer: Sustainable development and resource management.
13 55 Dr. Snjólaug Árnadóttir, Associate Professor at Law, University of Reykjavík: Law of the Sea, main principles on resource utilisation.
14 15 Coffee Break
14 35 Páll Þórhallsson, Director General at the Prime Minister’s Office: Amending the constitution and natural resources.
15 00 Panel Discussions
Moderator: Dr. Kári Hólmar Ragnarsson, Associate Professor at Law, University of Iceland
15 45 - 16 00 Closing of the Conference: Dr. Daði Már Kristófersson, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs
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Buses 14, 1, 6, 3 and 12 stop at the University of Iceland in Vatnsmýri. Buses 11 and 15 also stop nearby. Let's travel in an ecological way!