Our Executive Director, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐮, participated as a key resource person at 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚 (𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐋) on 21 July.
She chaired the Opening Plenary on “𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞” and subsequently moderated the panel discussion that followed.
The discussions explored the evolving global sustainable development policy and legal landscape, including emerging jurisprudence, the scope and implications of the landmark International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and the resulting obligations of States. The session also examined Sri Lanka’s domestic policy and legal context, the urgent need to strengthen climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, and the critical role of the legal profession in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate action, environmental protection, and human rights through legal advocacy, advisory services, policy reform, and strategic litigation.
The session featured an eminent panel of speakers, including Prof. Markus Gehring, Professor of European and International Law at the University of Cambridge; Dr. Lalanath de Silva, Executive Director of Environment Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW); and Dr. Avanthi Perera, Deputy Solicitor General from the Attorney General’s Department of Sri Lanka.
The symposium highlighted the growing opportunities for Sri Lanka’s legal profession in supporting the country’s sustainability transition. It emphasized the competencies and capacities that legal practitioners must develop to engage effectively at national, regional, and global levels, while fostering the legal community’s support for the policy and legal reforms needed to strengthen climate adaptation, resilience planning, and sustainable development.