Through the United Nations, countries and communities have committed to advance seventeen global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), tackling the most serious social, environmental and economic challenges of our century. Throughout 169 targets under these SDGs, the commitment to realise human rights worldwide is ubiquitous, accompanied by a recognition that law and policy can foster rather than frustrate sustainability. However, significant implementation gaps have emerged, as evidenced in Voluntary National Reports (VNRs) and National Plans (NPs) submitted to the UN by Member States, and the need for progress has become urgent. In times of great fragility, the need to respect and strengthen a rules-based, rights-based international legal order – as represented in Sustainable Development Goals 16 and 17 among others, is particularly pressing.
As countries implement new strategies for the SDGs, ongoing challenges on all levels highlight the complexities of making progress to advance the SDGs in law, public policy and practice. New knowledge, analysis and collaborations can help bridge the SDG implementation gap, through law and policy review of human rights instruments highlighted in VNRs, and an informed assessment of recent law and policy reforms, innovative treaties and institutions, and international tribunal awards. Guided by international legal and governance systems, States and stakeholders can scale up efforts to advance the SDGs. Informed dialogue between experts, academics and practitioners is more important than ever, building on global research and analysis to offer opportunities for outstanding learning and impact.
The International Symposium on Human Rights, Sustainable Development and the Law was held online on July 10, 2026. It was hosted by the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) and the McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, in cooperation with other institutes and leading experts from McGill University, the University of Montreal, the University of Cambridge, the London School of Economics, the University of Costa Rica, Yale University, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, the Swiss Italian University, Afe Babalola University, the University of Zambia and other distinguished academic partners. It was also organised in collaboration with renowned experts and United Nations Human Rights Rapporteurs, the International Law Association (ILA), the International Inter-Tribal Trade and Investment Organization (IITIO), NZLA, the McGill Journal of Sustainable Development Law (MJSDL), the Nigerian Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (JSDLP), the McGill Journal of International Law and Legal Pluralism (Inter Gentes), the Cambridge International Law Journal (CILJ), Canada’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and other partners.
The mid-conference high-level plenary featured the biennial 2026 Hon Justice CD Gonthier Memorial Lectures, which, following brief opening remarks by a representative of the Supreme Court of Canada, were delivered by eminent international leaders in the fields of international human rights law and sustainable development. It also celebrated the 2026 HE Judge CG Weeramantry International Justice Awards (WIJA) and the 2026 Global Fellowship.
The Symposium attracted nearly 2,700 registrants from across the globe.
Event Schedule: Friday, 10 July 2026
8:30 – 16:30 Montreal / 13:30 – 21:30 Cambridge
08:00 – 08:30 (Montreal) | 13:00 – 13:30 (Cambridge)
Online Moderation & Technical Checks
- Dr. Tejas Rao (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Adv. Moushita Dutta (McGill University)
08:30 – 09:15 (Montreal) | 13:30 – 14:15 (Cambridge)
Welcome Opening Plenary
- Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Prof. Nandini Ramanujan (McGill Centre for Human Rights & Legal Pluralism / McGill University)
- Dr. Ashfaq Khalfan (CISDL / London School of Economics LSE)
- Hon. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema WIJA (UNEP)
- Prof. Damilola S. Olawuyi (International Law Association ILA / UNESCO Chair, Hamad bin Khalifa Univ HBKU)
- Prof. Wayne Garnons-Williams (CISDL / International Inter-Tribal Trade & Investment Organization IITIO / National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada NSSHFC)
09:15 – 10:00 (Montreal) | 14:15 – 15:00 (Cambridge)
High-Level Keynote Segment: Human Rights in the Global Climate Emergency
- What are the links between human rights and climate change, and how can respect for human rights respond to the global threat of climate change?
- How are international human rights courts and tribunals rising to the challenge of this historical moment?
High-level Judges Plenary:
- Hon. Judge Anja Seibert-Fohr (European Court of Human Rights)
- Hon. Judge Patricia Perez-Goldberg (Inter-American Court of Human Rights)
- Hon. Judge Duncan Gaswaga (African Court of Human & Peoples Rights)
- Adv. Muskaan Singh (CISDL / DemEd Global)
- Adv. Yuxi Shen (CISDL / Chinese Univ Hong Kong)
10:00 – 11:15 (Montreal) | 15:00 – 16:15 (Cambridge)
Global Experts Plenary I: Linking Human Rights & Climate Change through International Law (SDGs 1, 5, 10 & 13)
In collaboration with Global School of Sustainability (GSoS) at London School of Economics (LSE), Global Legal Studies Center at Univ Wisconsin-Madison, Massey College at Univ Toronto, Middlesex Univ Dubai, Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment, International Law Association of Canada.
- How does human rights law respond to the climate emergency?
- How does international law on climate change and human rights advance the global Sustainable Development Goals and beyond?
- What have been the most recent developments in climate litigation worldwide, and in efforts to transition away from fossil fuels?
- What are the challenges and opportunities going forward?
- Adv. Ayman Cherkaoui (CISDL / IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law / Hassan II International Environmental Training Center)
- Dr. Ashfaq Khalfan (CISDL / GSoS, LSE )
- Prof. Sumudu Atapattu (CISDL / Univ Wisconsin)
- Hon. Justice Prof. Marcel Szabo WIJA (CISDL / Constitutional Court of Hungary / Pázmány Péter Catholic Univ)
- Prof. Payam Akhavan (Massey College / Univ Toronto)
- Prof. Tenia Kyriazi (CISDL / ILA-UAE / Middlesex Univ Dubai)
- Prof. David Boyd (Univ British Columbia / former UN Special Rapporteur on Enviro & Human Rights)
Prof. Elisa Morgera (UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change Human Rights / Durham Univ)
- Adv. Alexander Ramdass (CISDL / Caribbean Bar)
- Adv. Maria Jose Alarcon (CISDL / Duke Univ)
- Adv. Railla Puno (CISDL CLGI)
- Adv. Zoya Zahed (Univ Cambridge)
- Adv. Aditya Prasanna Bhattacharya (Univ Cambridge)
11:15 – 12:30 (Montreal) | 16:15 – 17:30 (Cambridge)
Global Experts Plenary II: Respecting Human Rights in Business, Trade & Investment for sustainable Natural Resources Management (SDGs 2,6,7 & 8)
In collaboration with International Law Association, Brazilian Bar Association – Rio Grande do Sul, Univ Caxias do Sul Univ (UCS), Univ Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Governance, World Trade Institute (WTI), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI); Green Trade Network (GTN) and International Bar Association*
- What are the main international legal challenges and opportunities in ensuring that business, including investors, will respect human rights, especially in relation to sustainable natural resources management?
- How might legal developments from WTO MC14, or further innovations in regional and bilateral trade and investment accords and cooperations, foster rather than frustrate human rights and sustainable development?
- Prof. Ilaria Espa (CISDL / Università della Svizzera Italiana / World Trade Institute)
- Prof. Markus Gehring (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Dr. Fabiano de Andrade Correa (CISDL / World Bank)
- Prof. Damilola S. Olawuyi WIJA (CISDL / HBKU / ILA)
- Prof. Alessandra Lehmen (CISDL / UCS / Brazilian Bar Association – Rio Grande do Sul)
- Prof. Ted Gleason (CISDL / Grenoble School of Management)
- Prof. Diane Desierto (CISDL / Notre Dame Univ)
- Dr. Kennedy Mbeva (Univ Cambridge)
- Adv. Pierre Leturcq (Green Trade Network)
- Prof. Thomas Cottier (WTI / Univ Bern)
- Dr. Natalia Pushkareva (CISDL)
- Dr. Jellie Molino (CISDL CLGI)
- Adv. Matthew Carvalho (CISDL / Georgetown Univ / Sunway Univ)
12:30 – 13:00 (Montreal) | 17:30 – 18:00 (Cambridge)
Break (Lunch / Tea & Coffee)
13:00 – 14:10 (Montreal) | 18:00 – 19:10 (Cambridge)
Hon. Justice Charles D Gonthier Memorial Lectures & HE Judge CG Weeramantry International Justice Awards
- Hon. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema (UNEP)
- Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Hon. Judge Sebastien Grammond (Federal Court of Canada)
- Dean of Law Prof. Tina Piper (McGill Univ)
- Hon. Justice Mahmud Jamal (Supreme Court of Canada)
- HE Judge Prof. Dire Tladi (International Court of Justice)
Announcement of HE Justice CG Weeramantry International Justice Awards & the HE Judge CG and Rosemary Weeramantry International Law and Sustainable Development Global Fellowship
- Prof. Em. Nico Schrijver WIJA (CISDL / Leiden Univ)
- Adv. Neshan Gunasekera WIJA (CISDL / Raoul Wallenberg Institute / World Future Council)
The 2026 Laureates & Global Fellow will be announced by Prof. Damilola S. Olawuyi WIJA (CISDL / HBKU / ILA) & Prof. Judge Marcel Szabó (Constitutional Court of Hungary / Pázmány Péter Catholic Univ (Budapest))
- Prof. Adv. Romesh Weeramantry (CISDL / Centre for International Law, National Univ Singapore / Clifford Chance)
- Adv. Pierre Gonthier (CISDL)
- Dr. Tejas Rao (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Adv. Carter Cheng (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Adv. Moushita Dutta (McGill University)
14:15 – 15:30 (Montreal) | 19:15 – 20:30 (Cambridge)
Global Experts Plenary III: Realising Indigenous Rights, Intergenerational Justice & Rights of Nature (SDGs 14, 15, 16 & Cross-cutting)
Organized in collaboration with experts from Yale University, University of Victoria, University of Costa Rica, the International Inter-Tribal Trade and Investment Organization IITIO, the National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada NSSHFC and World Future Council.
- How to strengthen recognition and respect for Indigenous Peoples’ collective rights worldwide?
- What can international law contribute to securing inter-generational justice and the rights of future generations, including the rights of children to be heard in decision-making that concerns them?
- How is the law advancing to recognize rights of nature?
- Prof. Maya Prabhu (CISDL / Yale University)
- Prof. Jorge Cabrera (CISDL / University of Costa Rica)
- Adv. Neshan Gunasekera (CISDL / Raoul Wallenberg Institute)
- Rt Hon. Ralph Regenvanu (Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management, Vanuatu)
- Dr. Pamela Towela-Sambo (CISDL / Univ Zambia / Human Rights Comm Zambia)
- Adv. Nina Pindham (Cornerstone Climate / UK ELA)
- Dr. Daniel Ruiz de Garibay (CISDL BLGI / Univ Asia Pacific)
- Adv. Emily Julier (Hogan Lovells)
- Prof. Wayne Garnons-Williams (CISDL /IITIO / NSSHFC)
- Adv. Lara Douvartzidis (CISDL)
- Ela Martinez (CISDL VoFG)
- Adv. Muskaan Singh (CISDL)
- Adv. Yasmeen Elsayed (CISDL)
15:35 – 16:30 (Montreal) | 20:35 – 21:30 (Cambridge)
Closing International Roundtable: Rights-Based Approaches to Sustainable Development
- How can rights-based approaches foster more sustainable development, and how does sustainable development help to realize human rights?
- What are the emerging trends, most innovative instruments and most promising developments in international human rights law and policy, to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the post-2030 Agenda?
- Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Prof. Nandini Ramanujan (McGill Centre for Human Rights & Legal Pluralism / McGill University)
- Dr. Ashfaq Khalfan (CISDL / GSoS, LSE )
- Adv. Ayman Cherkaoui (CISDL / IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law / Hassan II International Environmental Training Center)
- Prof. Markus Gehring (CISDL / Univ Cambridge)
- Prof. Ilaria Espa (CISDL /(Università della Svizzera italiana)
- Prof. Maya Prabhu (CISDL / Yale Univ)
- Prof. Jorge Cabrera (CISDL / Univ Costa Rica)
- Prof. Pamela Towela-Sambo (CISDL / Univ Zambia / Human Rights Comm Zambia)
- Dr. Oonagh Fitzgerald (ILA-Canada / Univ Ottawa)
- Prof. Richard Janda* (CISDL / McGill Univ)
- Prof. Konstantia Koutouki (CISDL / Univ Montreal)
- Harriet Crossfield (MJSDL)
- Adv. Randa Omar (Inter-Gentes)
- Dr. Eghosa Ekhator (JSDLP)
- Dr. Tejas Rao (CISDL / University of Cambridge)
- Adv. Moushita Dutta (McGill University)
Keynote speakers and interactive online dialogues focused on three key themes identified by the UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights, the European, Inter-American and African human rights courts, and other international bodies and treaties as essential to the legal and policy measures needed to advance the SDGs:
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The role of law and governance in promoting rights-based solutions which can support global efforts to implement States’ legal obligations in respect of climate change, responding to the climate emergency, and ensuring human rights are respected and realised in climate mitigation, adaptation and finance, including efforts to address loss and damage.
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The contributions of legal and governance systems to incentivising the realisation of human rights in more sustainable business, including trade, investment and financial flows.
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The importance of transparent, rules-based frameworks in aligning governance and the efforts of all stakeholders to restoring collective Indigenous rights, intergenerational justice and the rights of nature.
This global online symposium convened national and international experts and leaders together with emerging scholars, students and practitioners, to explore new global law and governance trends, challenges and insights worldwide, and to share innovative solutions and lessons in designing legal and policy measures to achieve the SDGs.