Didac Amat Puigsech

Institution: Pompeu Fabra University

Period of stay: 14 July - 19 September 2025

Contact: didac.amat@upf.edu

https://www.upf.edu/web/orbis/membres/-/asset_publisher/stsdvinrV0wZ/con...

Profile: 

Didac Amat Puigsech is a PhD candidate in International Law at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona, specialising in international climate change law. He is affiliated with the Department of Public International Law and International Relations, contributing to a research project on the emergence of global public rules –particularly focusing on international obligations related to climate change mitigation, global commons, and global public goods.

Mr. Amat has undertaken academic and professional visits in diverse international contexts, including Hong Kong, Greece, Peru, and South Africa. Notably, as part of his PhD thesis, he completed a research stay at the University of Pretoria under the supervision of ICJ Judge Dire Tladi.

Alongside his academic work, he is actively involved in practice-oriented efforts. He has participated in strategic human rights litigation before both the Spanish Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Additionally, he has provided legal and policy advice to public institutions and non-governmental organisations.

Research Area:

International Climate Change Law

Research Title:

The International Climate Change Mitigation Regime: setting the standard of diligence to stay within 450ppm

Research Outline:

Didac Amat’s research focuses on the content and legal nature of international climate change obligations, particularly the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement and the obligation to prepare, communicate, and maintain Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Regarding the former, Mr Amat argues that the temperature goal constitutes the object and purpose of the Paris Agreement. Accordingly, he maintains that parties have an integral due diligence obligation to refrain from acts that would undermine this collective objective. Drawing on the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, his work challenges traditional perspectives by asserting that this obligation applies both before and after the treaty’s entry into force.

Concerning NDCs, Mr. Amat rejects the view that they are merely procedural commitments. Instead, he contends that they give rise to substantive due diligence obligations. His research examines the elements that define the applicable standard of diligence and explores its potential relevance in the context of climate litigation.

Finally, Mr Amat also analyses how the flexibility mechanisms of the Paris Agreement and the secondary rules of the international climate change regime may contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of the mitigation obligations outlined above.

SSRN page:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=sdSDVVEAAAAJ&hl=en

Publications:

- Didac Amat, Common Concern of Humankind and Its Legal Consequences for Climate Stability, Climate Law, Vol. 14(2), 2024.
- Didac Amat, 'Capítulo 1: La energía como derecho: definiendo el umbral energético mínimo' in Ana García and Carlos Kastilla (eds.) (2024) 'Umbrales de dignidad: los derechos socioeconómicos en tiempos de crisis ecosocial'. Santiago de Compostela: Colex.
- Didac Amat, 'Capítulo 18: El cambio climático como un interés público global: efectos sobre el ius standi' in Sergio Salinas (ed.) (2024) 'Iniciativas normativas para avanzar en la transición ecológica'. València: Tirant lo Blanch.
- Didac Amat and Ricardo Martínez, Climate-diligent cities: setting the urban standard of mitigation, CIDOB Briefings, Nº 50, 2023.
- Didac Amat and Ricardo Martínez, Climate-diligent cities: Aligning mitigation ambitions with the Paris Agreement, CDIOB Opinions, Nº 769, 2023.
- Didac Amat and Pol Bargués, From Glasgow to Sharm El-Sheikh (COP27): How to raise climate ambition, CIDOB Notes internacionals, Nº 267, 2021.
- Didac Amat and Blancs Garcés, Politicisation of immigration in Spain: an exceptional case?, CEASEVAL Research on the common European asylum system, Nº 14, 2018.
- Didac Amat et. al, Ten key principles for a local policy to prevent violent extremism, CIDOB Notes Internacionals, Nº 206, 2018.

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