Manuj BhardwajÂ
SJD Candidate
Manuj Bhardwaj is an international lawyer, policy negotiator and strategist from India. Before starting his SJD, he has worked as the Head of Climate Governance, Energy and Trade Policy Advisory at BSM Legal Advisors & Strategy Consultants representing sovereign states and private parties at International Courts, Tribunals & Multilateral Forums around the world, he also advises international corporations on climate resilient industries. He is passionate about climate issues and is researching on how economic growth & climate action can prevail together for the developing and under-developed countries. His research focuses on current international climate policy and energy law topics as well as topics that are at the forefront of public policy and debate. He is working on providing an overview of the modern legislative and regulatory framework, and how federal and state regulators and policy leaders work cooperatively (or uncooperatively) to balance economic, environmental, and societal values. His study on has been published by Connect4Climate which is a global partnership program of the World Bank Group and the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea, together with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The same has been quoted by various universities and professors in their books and journals.
He is also the Founding Advisor of the Nurture Nature Global NGO that operates in India and Europe and focuses on environmental protection and creating awareness for climate action through educational strategies & youth engagement, the NGO is a Knowledge Partner of the Connect4Climate, World Bank Group. He also has a brief stint of working at The British Parliament with the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group, where he has represented the group and MPs at various policy meetings and has written policy briefs on strengthening India - UK trade relations.
Manuj was also the youngest member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Observer Mission to Sierra Leone’s Presidential Elections - During this mission he had an opportunity to hold various discussions around Climate Action and International Trade with all leading political parties of Sierra Leone, the then President and the Presidential Candidates. He also had the opportunity to discuss these issues with peers from DFID, UNDP, European Union, ECOWAS and the African Union.
He is also the Co-Chair of "The India - UK Legal Exchange Programme" an initiative by Indian and UK law firms in partnership with various other regulatory & government institutions including The Law Society of England & Wales and Members of House of Lords & House of Commons, UK Parliament.
He is the Indian representative of the Youth Human Rights & Democracy Network of The Commonwealth Secretariat and regularly collaborates with various multilateral organizations like World Bank, WTO, UNFCCC, UNCTAD, etc. He was the only Indian delegate to be invited by the then Hon’ble British PM Theresa May for a reception with around 52 Heads of States during Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018 to discuss the emerging issues of climate change & trade and to understand how Commonwealth could play an important role in providing robust solutions. He has been a part of various multi-lateral negotiations on trade, investment, climate change and foreign policy. He is also a regular invitee to heads of states meetings, diplomatic missions, international conferences and policy dialogues such as CHOGMs, UNFCCC's COP conferences, Commonwealth Secretariat's Observer Mission to Sierra Leone for General Elections and UNCTAD's World Investment Forum 2018, Geneva to name a few. In 2018, he announced a grant of èßäÉçÇøappD 15000 for environmental friendly start-ups at World Investment Forum organized by United Nations Conference on Trade & Development at UN Headquarters in Geneva. Manuj is adjunct faculty for International Climate and Trade Law at various law schools in India and the UK.
HIGHER EDUCATION Credentials
- Bachelor Degree: B.A. LL.B from Lloyd Law College, Delhi NCR (India) [2011 – 2016]
- Master Degree: Double Master of Science (MSc.) in Public Policy & Human Development with specialization in Foreign Policy & Development from United Nations University & Maastricht University, Maastricht (The Netherlands) [2017-18]
- Doctoral Degree: Currently pursuing S.J.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science/Scientiae Juridicae Doctor with specialization in Climate Law, Energy Policy and Trade Law from èßäÉçÇøapp University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. (U.S.A)
AWARDS & APPRECIATION
- Best Social Youth Entrepreneur by Dhaka Chambers of Commerce & Industry in Dhaka on 21st November, 2015
- Youth Icon Award - 2016 by APJ Abdul Kalam Foundation in Chennai on 12th January, 2016
- Appreciation Letter from Commonwealth Secretary General for Election Observer Mission 23rd July, 2018
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
- International Climate Change Law and Policy
- International Environmental Law
- International Trade and Investment Law
- International Economics
- International Arbitration