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Author	Prof TVGNS SUDHAKAR
Organisation/Institution	The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
Country	INDIA
Panel	Migration
Title	Quest For Regional Co-Operation: Climate Refugees And The Legal Responses In the BIMSTEC Member States.
Abstract	Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of current time. The phenomenon acts as a distant threat disrupting lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems in the present reality. This is most evident in the South Asian region, where the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-Operation (BIMSTEC) members states such as Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Myanmar face mounting risks of sea-level rise, cyclones, floods, droughts, and heatwaves. These recurring phenomena have already displaced millions and threaten to create one of the largest flows of climate-induced cross-border migration globally. Yet, those forced to move because of environmental collapse remain outside the ppurview of international refugee law protection, trapped in a legal vacuum. The Article examines the structural gaps in existing legal and policy frameworks primarily in the seven BIMSTEC member states. It exposes the lack of the statutory framework embedded in the legal inertia in recognising such migrants as ‘Refugees’. It highlights the progressive constitutional provisions and judicial interpretation in these countries, while offering indirect protection, remain grossly inadequate in recognizing climate refugees as rights-bearers. By situating climate displacement within the context of both International Refugee law, Human Rights Law and Climate Change Law, the paper argues for regional cooperation under BIMSTEC as a necessary step toward addressing this recognition void. The analysis taken up in the article attempts to unfold the harsh reality that without legal recognition and collective responsibility, climate-induced displacement will continue to deepen social and humanitarian crises across South Asia - the BIMSTEC region.
Biography	He did his graduation Bachelor Degree BA in Economics, obtained law degree LLB and Masters of Law Degree LLM in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law from Nagarjuna University. He secured first rank in the Nagarjuna University LLM commonentrance examination.Out of his tenacity for the subject international law, he preferred to write his LLM dissertation in international law titled “Role of International Court of Justice in the development of international law” for which he secured first place in the University for writing the dissertation. Later he obtained M.Phil in International refugee law from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) New Delhi and Phd in international law titled “Protection of human rights in non-international armed conflicts and the emerging international criminal law” also from JNU. He joined WBNUJS in the year 2003 as a member of the faculty.He actively involved in both teaching and research. He taught a number of subjects at undergraduate Degree LLB and postgraduate LLM level. He has guided many LLM dissertations, M.Phil degrees and PhDs awarded under his supervision. Currently, he is teaching Public international law, Law of international organisations and International criminal law at Masters level (LLM). He is guiding a number of LLM students and Doctoral candidates. He has Administrative/ other responsibilities (both in NUJS and elsewhere): Coordinator, School of Public Law and governance (SPLG) and member of Academic Council, Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC), Doctoral Committee(2012-2020, Centre of Post Graduate Legal Studies (CPGLS), Internal Complaints Committee (ICC 2013-16, Chairperson to ICC Appeals Committee.member of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC2016-2019), all in WBNUJS. expert member for UG BOS in Law of Vidyasagar University as well as expert member for UG BOS in Law and member of Doctoral Committee in VIT School of Law AP. Chancellor’s nominee for the University of Calcutta, member of Editorial Committee INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW and Policy Review of WBNUJS, member of the honorary board of Advisory Committee for the Indian Journal of Socio-Legal and Contemporary Affairs (IJOSLCA) a peer-reviewed law journal from Jamia Millia Islamia, peer reviewer for Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law RGNUL Student Law Review and member of advisory board of Vidhitvam. He is member of American Society of International Law, European Society of International Law Société européenne de droit international and Asian Society of International Law AsianSIL.