HNLU: Global Online Conference On "Climate Action, SDGs, And Trade – A Path Towards A Greener Future" [25th-26th November]

The First Global Online Conference on "Climate Action, SDGs, and Trade – A Path towards a Greener Future" organized by Hidayatullah National Law University Raipur in collaboration with Chhattisgarh State Biodiversity Board on November 25 and 26 deliberated upon a range of issues relating to a greener future addressed by policy wonks and subject experts.

The two-day event had its inaugural session on November 25 with Shri. Shailendra Shukla, Former Chairman of CSPDCL as Chief Guest and Prof. (Dr.) Sanjeevi Shanthakumar, Director, GNLU Gandhinagar and Mr. Anurag Sehgal, Executive Director, PwC LL.P. as Guests of Honour.

Prof. Vivekanandan, Vice Chancellor of HNLU observed that “This programme by HNLU is a pioneering effort of Centre for WTO Studies, which brought to the fore serious issues relating to Climate Change and the strategies to be adopted with an insightful and forthright discussion by domain experts”.

In the inaugural address the Chief Guest Shri. Shailendra Shukla stressed that it is imperative that we ensure economic prosperity is harmonized with environmental sustainability and social equity. He underscored the importance of fostering global collaboration and partnerships among businesses, civil societies, and academia to collectively confront the challenges posed by climate change and trade imbalances. The Guest of Honour, Prof Sanjeevi Shanthakumar, Director of Gujarat National Law University highlighted the promising trajectory towards a greener future through the convergence of climate action, sustainable development goals, and trade. He emphasized that climate change permeates every aspect of our existence, spanning economics, social dynamics, public health, and international relations. Prof. Shanthakumar stressed the critical imperative of ensuring that trade agreements and policies align seamlessly with our climate objectives. Shri Anurag Sehgal, Guest of Honour delved into the implementation of sustainability in trade agreements, articulating that sustainability has become an integral component of India's trade agreements. His remarks shed light on the ongoing efforts to align trade agreements with the broader goals of environmental and social sustainability, underlining the commitment to responsible and conscientious trade practices.

The day two of the conference on November 26 had two panel discussions addressed and chaired by distinguished experts notably Prof. M.K.Ramesh Distinguished Jurist Professor of HNLU and Former Professor of NLS Bangalore, Ms Anuja Tiwari, Senior Partner of AZB, Dr Ritu Dhingra, IUCN CEESP Regional Vice Chair East and Southern Asia.

The Valedictory session had Mr Prabhat Mishra, IFS, Chhattisgarh State Biodiversity Board, presided over the session as the Chief Guest, who highlighted the need for collaborative efforts and individual commitment to address global environmental challenges. The Guest of Honour for the first session Prof. (Dr.) Vidyullatha Reddy, Professor and Registrar, NALSAR, Hyderabad, chronicled the two decades of deliberation not yielding the desired results due to the economically powerful Nation States procrastinating on their commitments and urging for concrete commitments.

The conference served as a platform for robust discussions and knowledge sharing among participants from diverse backgrounds and the papers presented were of contemporary content adding value to the ongoing discussions and inputs on the theme. As the global community grapples with the urgency of the climate crisis, conferences like these play a crucial role in fostering dialogue and collaboration on a worldwide scale.