NEWSLETTER-2021

157 ARBITRATION LAW group including practitioners from different law firms was established. This working group prepared the Protocol for Online Case Management in International Arbitration (“Protocol”). The Protocol seeks to deliver a globally consistent approach to the use of online case management platforms in international arbitration. Apart from these platforms that arbitral institutions offer, there are various programs available that may be used by practitioners. The International Bar Association (“IBA”) provides guidance related to these platforms. As stated by the IBA, there are platforms which allow practitioners to host, manage, organise, sort, and transfer voluminous documents and submissions gathered and/or exchanged in an arbitration. The Green Pledge It is clear that the awareness of environmental issues including the reduction of carbon footprints has increased recently. This increase of awareness can be classified as a global trend that includes not only efforts from the legal industry, but from various other industries. The efforts to make arbitration more environmentally friendly includes the Green Pledge. The Green Pledge seeks to raise awareness of the significant carbon footprint of the arbitration community, and aims to encourage all arbitration practitioners to commit to the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations’ Guiding Principles and to reduce their carbon emissions. The Guiding Principles set out examples that may be easily implemented by practitioners. These include creating a work space with a reduced environmental footprint by looking for opportunities to reduce energy consumption and waste, and corresponding electronically, unless hard copy correspondence is expressly needed in the circumstances. Practitioners should also be mindful that email has a carbon footprint when requesting the use of electronic rather than hard copies of documents. Practitioners should also promote the use of electronic bundles at hearings, and use suppliers and service providers (for example when arranging an arbitration hearing) who are committed to reducing their environmental footprint. The Guiding Principles also mention the use of videoconferencing facilities as an alternative to travel, which in-

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