9 December 2021, 16:30-18:00
Military Briefings
Defence Images
The law often tends to lag behind technological developments, particularly in armed conflict. In international humanitarian law (IHL), the 1907 Hague Conventions and the 1949 Geneva Conventions form the basis for regulating technologies that are emerging in the 21st century, and that none of the drafters in 1907 or 1949 could have anticipated. Nonetheless, IHL serves a critical role in the context of the development of new weapons and tactics. As new technologies emerge, States need to look at IHL for guidance. Yet, while some of the new weapons and tactics can be sufficiently regulated by the current legal frameworks, other developments will necessarily prove a challenge for IHL.
In this Military Briefing, Professor Jensen – drawing on 20 years of experience with the United States Army, and a decade researching emerging issues in IHL, including cyber-warfare – will discuss the role and evolution of IHL in this context, and provide insights on how armed forces and governments approach these issues.
Eric Talbot Jensen is a Professor of Law at Brigham Young University. Prior to joining BYU, he spent 20 years in the United States Army as both a Cavalry Officer and as a Judge Advocate. He served in various positions including as chief of the Army’s International Law Branch. More recently, Professor Jensen served as Special Counsel to the Department of Defense General Counsel. He was also involved in the elaboration of the Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare.
Military Briefings are a unique series of events relating to military institutions and the law. They aim to improve our students’ knowledge of military actors and operations and build bridges between the military and civilian worlds.
ECHO
Our new research project IHL in Focus – launched at the beginning of the year – has been presented and discussed at the 2024 European Humanitarian Forum, a major yearly event convened by the European Union focusing on prominent humanitarian issues and challenges.
The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts project (RULAC) is a unique online portal that identifies and classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law (IHL). It is primarily a legal reference source for a broad audience, including non-specialists, interested in issues surrounding the classification of armed conflicts under IHL.
ICRC
As a yearly publication, it keeps decision-makers, practitioners and scholars up-to-date with the latest trends and challenges in IHL implementation in over 100 armed conflicts worldwide – both international and non-international.
Geneva Academy
Geneva Academy ICRC