As is well known, the future of planet earth essentially depends on the protection and conservation of Biological diversity hotspots in the world. Western Ghats — given a World Natural heritage site Status by the World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO — is one of the ten hottest hotspots of biological diversity in the world. It is also a fact that a major part of this world natural heritage is in Kerala.
The need for conservation of biological diversity and ecological balance of the Western Ghats is the concern of the global community being an inevitable requirement to combat climate change and global warming. Its continuing influence on the ecological balance of our planet is a matter of concern for the present and future generations of planet earth. The participants can focus based on their experience on issues related to conversation of forest, wildlife management, wildlife corridor, fresh water issues, watershed role of mountains, protection of water sources, land use and landscape change in their country along with international environmental law perspectives including the World Heritage model.
The Report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (Mr. Madhav Gadgil committee) constituted by the Central Government of India contains several recommendations for the protection and conservation of Western Ghats (For the Gadgil Committee report see). However with the appointment of Kasturirangan Committee by the Indian Central Government purporting to review the Gadgil Committee report, efforts to conserve the ecology of the Western Ghats confront several issues and face several apprehensions. The Conference expects to discuss the legal implications of the World Heritage site status for various sites in the Western Ghats and the means, methods and ways to strengthen the existing legal frame work and regime and suggest new legal measures and framework for protection and conservation of the biological diversity and ecological balance in the Western Ghats in particular and planet earth in general from an international perspective. The conference expects research papers/working papers that would contain some concrete proposals, suggestions, or recommendations — relating precisely to the selected theme — from various national and international participants. The participants can focus based on their experience on issues related to conversation of forest, wildlife management, wildlife corridor, fresh water issues, watershed role of mountains, protection of water sources, land use and landscape change in their country along with international environmental law perspectives including the World Heritage model. The success of the conference will be the quality of discussion, resolutions and proposals. Oral presentation could be accompanied by power point presentation to give more clarity, brevity and conciseness.
The inaugural session of the Conference is scheduled on 15.12.2012 at 9 am at the Kerala Law Academy campus, Thiruvananthapuram and concludes on the evening of 17.12.2012. Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.K. Patnaik, Judge, Supreme Court of India would inaugurate the Conference. Dr. Glen Barry, environmental advocate and founder/operator of forest conservation network http://ecologicalinternet.org/ and http://forests.org/ is the Academic Convener. Other Judges and legal experts from foreign universities are expected to participate.
The organizers would arrange for transportation of the participants from and to the airport/railway station on prior intimation of arrival and departure and take care of your transport/travel requirements in Thiruvananthapuram. The Academy will provide for free meals and good accommodation for five days, four nights for the Conference from 15-12-2012 to 17-12-2012.
We call for papers on the theme from those who wish to participate in the conference, for which they may submit their synopses for selection. Participation is strictly based on selection of the synopsis submitted by the intending participant. Selected papers will be published.
