International e-conference on Taking Stock of Stockholm@50 (1972-2022)

An International e-conference on Taking Stock of Stockholm@50 (1972-2022) was organised by Centre for Regulatory Studies, Governance and Public Policy, The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata & Centre for Environmental Law, Advocacy and Research, National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam on 12th and 13th of November, 2022. The year 2022 marks the 50th year of the Stockholm Conference and this conference was a step towards commemorating it. The conference was graced by various eminent scholars/academicians in environmental law. The academic discussions in the plenary and technical sessions initiated a step towards revisiting the principles formed at the Stockholm Conference in the year 1972 and that various kinds of insights from students, scholars, researchers, academicians, professionals kindled the spirit of environmental conservation. The inaugural session was graced by the the Chief Guest Dr. Manas Ranjan Bhunia, Hon’ble Minister in-charge, Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal. Other dignitaries were Prof. (Dr.) N.K. Chakrabarti, Vice Chancellor, WBNUJS, Kolkata; Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of NLUJA, Assam Prof. (Dr.) V.K. Ahuja; Dr. Debasis Poddar (Professor of Law, NLUJA,Assam), Dr. Jayanta Ghosh (Head & Research Fellow, CRSGPP, WBNUJS) and Dr. Amol Deo Chavhan (Associate Professor, NLUJA. In the course of the two days of the conference, we were delighted to have eminent speakers including Prof. Phillippe Cullet (Professor of International and Environmental Law, SOAS University of London); Prof. K Purushottam Reddy (Environmental Activist); Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Pratap Singh (Vice Chancellor, National Law University, Tripura); Uma Outka (Professor of Law, School of Law, University of Kansas). We were also glad to welcome our speakers of the plenary sessions. The first plenary session of the e-conference, titled “Stockholm+50: A healthy planet for the prosperity of all,” was organised on November 12, 2022, and moderated by Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar (Director, Gujarat National Law University). The speakers of the session included Dr. Sairam Bhat. (Professor of Law at NLSIU Bangalore and Centre Coordinator at Centre for Environmental Law Education, Research and Advocacy (CEERA); Mr. Ranjan Chatterjee, who is a former IAS and expert member of the National Green Tribunal; Prof. Uday Shankar (Registrar and Professor of Law at HNLU Raipur); Prof. (Dr.) Anand Pawar (Registrar and Professor of Law at Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala). The Plenary Session 2 on Stockholm+50: Our Responsibility, Our Opportunity, Our Future was held on November 13, 2022 and we were elated to have Prof (Dr) MK Ramesh (Professor of Law, NLSIU Bangalore) as the moderator of the session. The speakers for this session included Prof (Dr.) Snehmanju Basu, Registrar at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. We coordinated various technical sessions including Environmental Governance and Justice, Stockholm Declaration, Rio Declaration, Environmental Management, Sustainable Development Vis-à-vis Food Safety, Health and Education, Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals, Law of Sea, Biodiversity and Wildlife, Climate Change, Energy and Traditional Knowledge. We are thankful to the respected academicians who kindly agreed to be the Chairs and Moderators of the technical sessions. The valedictory session was held on 13th of November, 2022 and the Chief Guest for the Valedictory Session was Prof. Bharat H. Desai, Professor of International Law, Jawaharlal Nehru Chair in International Environmental Law, Centre for International Legal Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The conference was a huge success and with the final address of Prof. (Dr.) N.K. Chakrabarti, Vice Chancellor, West Bengal National University of Juridical Studies, and Prof. (Dr.) V.K. Ahuja, Vice Chancellor, National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam, the conference was declared closed.

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