Sustainability Studies

SCHOOL OF SUSTAINABILITY AND LAW

Welcome to the School of Sustainability and Law (SSL) set up under the auspices of the National Law University, Meghalaya (NLU Meg) anchoring work on law and policy related to the environment and natural resources.
Its mission is to address issues pertaining to environmental pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in India and the Global South with a special focus on the North-East Region (NER) of India.
The work of SSL is framed around the special environmental circumstances, challenges and endowments of the NER. NER is not just rich in biodiversity and forests, it is also home to multiple progressive conservation policies developed over centuries by the various peoples of the state. Over the past few decades, states in the NER have been facing an increasing number of environmental crises that require further attention. The focus has been much more on formal state law related to the environment than on the arguably more limited, tribal regulatory framework. Thus, SSL seeks to engage with the grassroots community along with tribal customary laws and state legislations to effectively contribute to the environmental and social justice frameworks.
Within the broader field of sustainability, the SSL seeks to engage with:Within the broader field of sustainability, the SSL seeks to engage with:
  • Environmental protection measures, with a focus on local issues as well as those affecting the Global South;
  • Conservation and use of natural resources, with a particular focus on land, water and forests, including the diversity of rights framework governing these sectors;
  • Climate change, with a focus on adaptational measures necessitated by ongoing impacts of the climatic crisis and mitigational measures that can contribute to the realization of people’s rights and furthering their well-being;
  • Environmental tribal governance and its linkages with state law
The SSL seeks to promote the teaching of law related to the environment and natural resources in the context of Global South as well as on local issues focusing particularly on the North-East.
The SSL engages with law related to the environment in an inter-disciplinary manner and considers issues in a multi-scalar framework, from the local to the state, national and international levels.
The expertise of its faculty members include teaching, research, policy drafting, consultancy and law.
The Objectives of SSL include:
  • Undertake high-quality inter-disciplinary research and publications on law and policy related to the environment and natural resources;
  • Offer students direct engagement with environmental protection to foster their understanding of environmental justice;
  • Hold conferences, workshops and seminars on topical environmental legal issues;
  • Contribute to the development of environmental law through engagement with relevant state departments;
  • Organize training programmes for the judiciary, government employees and non-governmental organisations to strengthen their legal capacity on environmental law and policy.

Members

Prof. Philippe Cullet
Professor in Residence, National Law University Meghalaya
​​​​​​​Email: pcullet@nlumeg.ac.in

Ms. Badapbiang T. Dkhar
Research Fellow, National Law University Meghalaya
​​​​​​​Email: b.dkhar@nlumeg.ac.in