Lavanya Rajamani

Professor of International Environmental Law

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Oxford OX1 3UL

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Biography

Lavanya Rajamani is a Professor of International Environmental Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, and Yamani Fellow in Public International Law, St Peter's College, Oxford. She was formerly a Professor at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, where she now holds a Visiting Professorship. Before that she was a University Lecturer in Environmental Law, and Fellow & Director of Studies in Law at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Lavanya holds an LLM from Yale, a DPhil and BCL from Oxford, where she was a Rhodes scholar, and a B.A.LL.B. (Honours) from National Law School, Bangalore, where she graduated at the top of her class with several gold medals.

Lavanya writes, teaches and advises on international environmental law, in particular international climate change law and policy. Her latest book titled, 'Innovation and Experimentation in the International Climate Change Regime', based on a Special Course she delivered at the Hague Academy of International Law, was published in March 2020 as part of the Collected Courses of the Hague Academy of International Law/ Receuil des Cours. Her previous book ‘International Climate Change Law’ (Oxford University Press, UK, 2017),  co-authored with Daniel Bodansky and Jutta Brunnée won the 2018 American Society of International Law Certificate of Merit in a Specialized Area of International Law. Her other books include ‘Promoting Compliance in the Emerging Climate Regime (CUP, 2011, co-editor), ‘Implementation of International Environmental Law’ (Hague Academy of International Law, 2011, co-editor), ‘Climate Change Liability: Transnational Law and Practice’ (CUP, 2011, co-editor), ‘Differential Treatment in International Environmental Law’ (Oxford University Press, UK, 2006, author), and numerous peer-reviewed articles in law journals. She is currently in the final stages of co-editing the second edition of the ‘Oxford Handbook of International Environmental Law’ with Professor Jacqueline Peel, University of Melbourne.

Lavanya was a KFG Senior Research Fellow at the Berlin-Potsdam Research Group ‘The International Rule of Law – Rise or Decline?’ and a Sir Frank Holmes Visiting Fellow at the University of Victoria, Wellington. She has held visiting Professorships and taught courses on public international law at Ashoka University, India; international environmental law on the MBA in Green Energy at the Bologna Business School; international climate change law at the National University of Singapore and the University of Aix-en-Provence;  human rights and environmental law on the Masters in International Human Rights Law at Oxford; and human rights and climate change law on the Melbourne Law Masters (MLM).
 
Lavanya serves as Coordinating Lead Author of the chapter on ‘International Cooperation’ in the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She has also served as Rapporteur for the International Law Association’s Committee on Legal Principles Relating to Climate Change, and as Research Director for the Hague Academy of International Law’s Centre for Studies and Research.
 
Lavanya’s academic work on the international climate change regime is informed by extensive practice. She has worked on and tracked the climate negotiations in different capacities, including as a negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States, and legal advisor to the UN Climate Secretariat, the Danish Ministry of Climate Change and the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests. She was part of the UNFCCC core drafting and advisory team at the 2015 Paris negotiations, and, was identified by Climate Home News as one of the ‘Women to watch ahead of the UN’s 2015 Climate Summit.’ She is also involved in differing capacities, but in particular in providing the evidence base, in current and prospective climate cases before national and international courts.

 

Publications

Recent additions

  • L Rajamani and J Peel (eds), The Oxford Handbook of International Environmental Law (2nd edition Oxford University Press, UK 2021) (forthcoming)
  • L Rajamani, 'Due Diligence in International Climate Change Law' in H Krieger, A Peters, L Kreuzer (ed), Due Diligence in International Law (Oxford University Press 2021)
  • L Rajamani and J. Peel, 'Reflections on a Decade of Change in International Environmental Law' (2021) Cambridge Journal of International Law (forthcoming)

All publications

Chapter (25)

L Rajamani and J Werksman, 'Climate Change' in L. Rajamani and J. Peel (eds), Oxford Handbook of International Environmental Law (Oxford University Press 2021) (forthcoming)
L Rajamani, 'Due Diligence in International Climate Change Law' in H Krieger, A Peters, L Kreuzer (ed), Due Diligence in International Law (Oxford University Press 2021)
C Redgwell and L Rajamani, 'And Justice for All? Energy Justice in International Law ' in Iñigo del Guayo et al (ed), Energy Law and Distributional Justice (Oxford University Press 2020)
L Rajamani, 'Differentiation' in Yann Aguila and Jorge Viñuales (eds), A Global Pact for the Environment: Legal Foundations (Cambridge: C-EENRG 2019)
L Rajamani, 'Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities' in Ludwig Kramer and Emmanuela Orlando (eds), Principles of Environmental Law: Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law series (Edward Elgar Publishing, UK 2018)
L Rajamani, 'Human Rights in the Climate Change Regime: From Rio to Paris' in John H Knox and Ramin Pejan (eds), The Human Right to a Healthy Environment (Cambridge University Press, UK 2018)
D Bodansky and L Rajamani, 'The Evolution and Governance Architecture of the Climate Change Regime' in Detlef Sprinz and Urs Luterbacher (eds), Global Climate Policy: Actors, Concepts and Enduring Challenges (MIT Press 2018)
L Rajamani, 'The Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Climate Disaster Law' in Rosemary Lyster and Robert Verchick (eds), Climate Disaster Law: Barriers and Opportunities (Edward Elgar Publishing, UK 2018)
L Rajamani and E Guerin, 'Central Concepts in the Paris Agreement and how they evolved' in Daniel Klein et al (ed), The Paris Climate Agreement: Analysis and Commentary (Oxford University Press, UK 2017)
L Rajamani, 'Guiding Principles and General Obligation (Article 2.2 and 3)' in Daniel Klein et al (ed), The Paris Climate Agreement: Analysis and Commentary (Oxford University Press, UK 2017)
L Rajamani, 'International Law and the Indian Constitutional Schema' in Sudhir Choudhry, Madhav Khosla and Pratap Bhanu Mehta (eds), Oxford Handbook on the Indian Constitution (Oxford University Press, UK 2016)
N Dubash and L Rajamani, 'Multilateral Diplomacy on Climate Change' in (ed), Oxford Handbook on Indian Foreign Policy (Oxford University Press, UK 2016)
L Rajamani and S Ghosh, 'Public Participation in Indian Environmental Law' in Barrera-Hernandez et al (ed), Sharing the Costs and Benefits of Energy and Resource Activity: Legal Change and Impact on Communities (Oxford University Press, UK 2016)
L Rajamani, 'The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: a Framework Approach to Climate Change' in Daniel Farber and Emmanuela Orlando (eds), Climate Change Law (Edward Elgar Publishing, UK 2016)
C Redgwell and L Rajamani, 'International Legal Regimes for Subsurface Activities' in Zillman et al (ed), The Law of Energy Underground: Understanding New Developments in Subsurface Production, Transmission, and Storage (Oxford University Press, UK 2014)
J Scott and L Rajamani, 'Contingent Unilateralism: International Aviation in the European Emissions Trading Scheme' in Bart Van Vooren, Steven Blockmans, and Jan Wouters (eds), The EU’s Role in Global Governance: The Legal Dimension (Oxford University Press, UK 2013)
L Rajamani and S Ghosh, 'Avenues for Climate Change Litigation in India' in R Lord, S Goldberg, J Brunnée and L Rajamani (eds), Climate Change Liability: Transnational Law and Practice (Cambridge University Press, UK 2011)
L Rajamani, 'Developing Countries and Compliance in the Climate Regime' in J Brunnée, M Doelle and L Rajamani (eds), Promoting Compliance in An Evolving Climate Regime (Cambridge University Press, UK 2011)
L Rajamani, 'The Reach and Limits of the Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in the Climate Change Regime' in Navroz Dubash (ed), Handbook on Climate Change in India (Earthscan, UK 2011)
L Rajamani, 'Community Based Property Rights Regimes and Resource Conservation in India’s Forests' in Aileen McHarg et al (ed), Property Rights in Energy and Natural Resources Law (Oxford University Press, UK 2010)
L Rajamani and Arghya Sengupta, 'The Supreme Court' in Niraja Gopal Jayal and Pratap Bhanu Mehta (eds), Oxford Companion to Politics in India (Oxford University Press, India 2010)
L Rajamani, 'China and India on Climate Change and Development' in Steven Bernstein, Jutta Brunnée, David Duff and Andrew Green (eds), A Globally Integrated Climate Policy for Canada (University of Toronto Press, Canada 2008)
L Rajamani, 'India’s Approach to Climate Change' in Elvire Fabry and Damien Tresallet (eds), Greening Economic Growth: Towards a Global Strategy for Europe (Fondation Pour l’innovation Politic 2008)
L Rajamani, 'The Indian Way: Exploring Synergies between Development, Energy and Climate Goals' in Don Zillman, Catherine Redgwell, Yinka Omorogbe and Lila K. Barrera- Hernandez (eds), Beyond the Carbon Economy (Oxford University Press, UK 2008)
P Chasek and L Rajamani, 'Steps Towards Enhanced Parity: Negotiating Capacity and Strategies of Developing Countries' in Inge Kaul et al (ed), Providing Global Public Goods: Managing Globalization (Oxford University Press, New York 2002)

Journal Article (40)

L Rajamani and J. Peel, 'Reflections on a Decade of Change in International Environmental Law' (2021) Cambridge Journal of International Law (forthcoming)
L Rajamani, 'Integrating Human Rights in the Paris Climate Architecture: Contest, Context, and Consequence' (2019) 9 Climate Law
L Rajamani and D Bodansky, 'The Paris Rulebook: Balancing International Prescriptiveness with National Discretion' (2019) International and Comparative Law Quarterly
L Rajamani, 'India’s Approach to International Law in the Climate Change Regime' (2018) 57 Indian Journal of International Law
D Bodansky and L Rajamani, 'The Issues that Never Die' (2018) 12 Carbon and Climate Law Review
L Rajamani and J Werksman, 'The legal character and operational relevance of the Paris Agreement's temperature goal' (2018) Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society,
L Rajamani and J Brunnée, 'The Legality of Downgrading Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement: Lessons from the US Disengagement' (2017) 29 Journal of Environmental Law
L Rajamani, 'Ambition and Differentiation in the 2015 Paris Agreement: Interpretative Possibilities and Underlying Politics' (2016) 65 International and Comparative Law Quarterly 493
S Maljean-Dubois and L Rajamani, 'L'Accord de Paris sur les Changements Climatiques du 12 Decembre 2015' (2016) Annuaire Français De Droit International LXI – 2015 – CNRS Éditions
L Rajamani, 'The 2015 Paris Agreement: Interplay Between Hard, Soft and Non-Obligations' (2016) 28 Journal of Environmental Law 337
L Rajamani, 'Addressing Loss and Damage from Climate Change Impacts' (2015) L Economic and Political Weekly 17
L Rajamani, 'The Devilish Details: Key Legal Issues in the 2015 Climate Negotiations' (2015) 78 Modern Law Review 826
L Rajamani, 'The Papal Encyclical and The Role Of Common But Differentiated Responsibili- ties In The International Climate Change Negotiations, Symposium: The Pope’s Encyclical and Climate Change Policy' (2015) American Journal of International Law Unbound
H Winkler and L Rajamani, 'Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities in a Regime Applicable to All' (2014) 14 Climate Policy 101
L Rajamani, 'The Warsaw Climate Negotiations: Emerging Understandings and Battle Lines on the Road to the 2015 Climate Agreement' (2014) 63 International and Comparative Law Quarterly 721
H Winkler and L Rajamani, 'CBDR&RC in a regime applicable to all' (2013) 14 Climate Policy 102
D French and L Rajamani, 'Climate Change and International Environmental Law: Musings on a Journey to Somewhere' (2013) 25 Journal of Environmental Law 437
L Rajamani, 'Differentiation in the Emerging Climate Regime' (2013) 14 Theoretical Inquiries in Law 151
Joanne Scott and L Rajamani, 'EU Climate Change Unilateralism' (2012) 23 European Journal of International Law 469
L Rajamani, 'The Changing Fortunes of Differential Treatment in the Evolution of Interna- tional Environmental Law' (2012) 88 International Affairs 605
L Rajamani, 'The Durban Platform for Enhanced Action & the Future of the Climate Regime' (2012) 61 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 501
L Rajamani, 'The Cancun Climate Change Agreements: Reading the Text, Subtext and Tealeaves' (2011) 60 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 499
L Rajamani, 'The Climate Regime in Evolution: The Disagreements that Survive the Cancun Agreements' (2011) Climate and Carbon Law Review 136
N Dubash and L Rajamani, 'Beyond Copenhagen: Next Steps' (2010) 10 Climate Policy 593
L Rajamani, 'The Copenhagen Accord: Neither Fish nor Fowl' (2010) Seminar (Special Issue: Climate Change Conundrum) 606
L Rajamani, 'The Increasing Currency and Relevance of Rights-Based Perspectives in the International Negotiations on Climate Change' (2010) 22 Journal of Environmental Law 391
L Rajamani, 'The Making and Unmaking of the Copenhagen Accord' (2010) 59 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 824
L Rajamani, 'Addressing the Post-Kyoto Stress Disorder: Reflections on the Emerging Legal Architecture of the Climate Regime' (2009) 58 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 803
L Rajamani, 'Cloud over the Climate Negotiations: From Bangkok to Copenhagen and Beyond' (2009) XLIV Economic and Political Weekly 11
L Rajamani, 'Exploring Legal Form Options for a post-2012 Climate Regime' (2009) XLIV Economic and Political Weekly 20
L Rajamani, 'India and Climate Change: What India Wants, Needs and Needs to Do' (2009) 8 India Review 340
L Rajamani, 'The Copenhagen Agreed Outcome: Form, Shape and Influence' (2009) XLIV Economic and Political Weekly 30
L Rajamani, 'From Berlin to Bali and Beyond: Killing Kyoto Softly?' (2008) 57 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 909
L Rajamani, 'Re-thinking India’s International Climate Policy' (2008) Aus Politik Und Zeitgeschichte (Politics and Contemporary History, in German)
L Rajamani, 'Public Interest Environmental Litigation in India: Exploring Issues of Access, Participation, Equity, Effectiveness and Sustainability' (2007) 19 Journal of Environmental Law 293
L Rajamani, 'The Nature, Promise and Limits of Differential Treatment in the Climate Change Regime' (2007) Yearbook of International Environmental Law 81
L Rajamani, 'The Right to Environmental Protection in India: Many a Slip between the Cup and the Lip?' (2007) 16 Review of European Community and International Environmental Law 274
L Rajamani, 'From Stockholm to Johannesburg: The Anatomy of Dissonance in International Environmental Dialogue' (2003) 12 Review of European Community and International Environmental Law 23
L Rajamani, 'Renegotiating Kyoto: A Review of the Sixth Conference of Parties to the UN- FCCC' (2001) Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy 201
L Rajamani, 'The Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility & the Balance of Commitments under the Climate Regime' (2000) 9 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 120

Edited Book (4)

L Rajamani and J Peel (eds), The Oxford Handbook of International Environmental Law (2nd edition Oxford University Press, UK 2021) (forthcoming)
R Lord, S Goldberg, L Rajamani and J Brunnée (eds), Climate Change Liability: Transnational Law and Practice (Cambridge University Press, UK 2011)
S Maljean-Dubois and L Rajamani (eds), Implementation of International Environmental Law (Center for Studies and Research in International Law and International Relations, Hague Academy of International Law (Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Netherlands) 2011)
J Brunnée, M Doelle and L Rajamani (eds), Promoting Compliance in an Evolving Climate Regime (Cambridge University Press, UK 2011)

Book (3)

L Rajamani, Innovation and Experimentation in the International Climate Change Regime (Collected Courses of the Hague Academy of International Law/ Receuil des Cours, Brill 2020)
D Bodansky, J Brunnée and L Rajamani, International Climate Change Law (Oxford University Press 2017)
L Rajamani, Differential Treatment in International Environmental Law (Oxford Monographs in International Law (Oxford University Press, UK) 2006)
Excerpts from Reviews: Journal of Environmental Law (2008): "a thought provoking and convincing book...particularly, for those responsible for negotiating Kyoto emissions reduc- tion arrangements post-2012, its reading and rereading should be prescribed as compulsory preparation." NYU Journal of International Law and Politics (2007): "...a meticulously re- searched and structured book that is as compelling as a novel and as organized as a spreadsheet...As climate negotiators attempt to bridge that gulf [between developing and industrial countries] they would be wise to consult the legal map that Rajamani offers." International and Comparative Law Quarterly (2007): "Throughout the book, there is clear and consistent development of the argument together with thought- ful analysis leading to a well-supported conclusion. This book is a valuable and authoritative contribution on the topic of differential treatment in international environmental law." Review of European Comparative and International Environmental Law (2007): "Rajamani presents her argument for differential treatment as well as its limits in a convincing and novel way... Differential treatment in international environmental law provides an important contribution that sheds light on the relations between unequals in international environmental law...policy makers and negotiators could benefit from the clear way in which Rajamani sets out the diverging stances of industrialized and developing countries thereby laying bare where the gaps lie that need to be bridged."

Report (15)

D Bodansky and L Rajamani, General Issues in Elaborating the Paris Agreement (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions 2018)
L Rajamani, Elaborating the Paris Agreement: Implementation and Compliance (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions 2017)
L Rajamani, Structuring the UNFCCC 2018 Facilitative Dialogue (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions 2017)
L Rajamani, Differentiation in a 2015 Climate Agreement (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions 2015)
L Rajamani and Daniel Bodansky, Key Legal Issues In The 2015 Climate Negotiations (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions 2015)
L Rajamani, Negotiating the 2015 Climate Agreement: Issues relating to Legal Form and Nature (Mitigation Action Plans And Scenarios (MAPS) Programme, South Africa 2015)
X Ngwadla and L Rajamani, Operationalising an equity reference framework in the climate change regime: Legal and technical perspectives (Mitigation Action Plans and Scenarios (MAPS) Programme, South Africa 2014)
L Rajamani and et al, Third Report: Draft Articles & Commentaries (Rapporteur) (International Law Association Committee on the Legal Principles Relating to Climate Change 2014)
L Rajamani, CPR Working Paper (Rights Based Climate Litigation In The Indian Courts: Potential, Prospects & Potential Problems 2013)
L Rajamani and et al, Second Report (Rapporteur) (International Law Association Committee on the Legal Principles Relating to Climate Change 2012)
L Rajamani and et al, First Report (Rapporteur) (International Law Association Committee on the Legal Principles Relating to Climate Change 2010)
L Rajamani, Exploring "Common" Responsibility in the Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility (The Energy & Resources Institute, New Delhi 2008)
L Rajamani, Judicial Activism & Public Interest Environmental Litigation in India: Its Role in Improving Delivery of Public Services, Enhancing Accountability of Public Officials and Triggering Reforms in Governance (World Bank, New Delhi 2005)
L Rajamani, The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat & NGO/Observer Participation: Current Practices & Future Options (UNFCCC, Bonn 2004)
L Rajamani, Developing Country Resistance to Linking Trade and Environment: the Perceptions of Inequity and the Politics of Autonomy (Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, Global Environment and Trade Study 2000)

Review (5)

L Rajamani, 'Differential Treatment in International Environmental Law, Philippe Cullet (2003)' (2004) 2 Environmental Law Review 288 [Review]
L Rajamani, 'Equality among Unequals in International Environmental Law, Anita Margarethe Halvorssen (1999)' (2001) 9 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law [Review]
L Rajamani, 'Reflections on the International Environmental Court, Ellen Hey (2001)' (2001) 10 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 350 [Review]
L Rajamani, 'Survival Emissions, Mark Mwandosya (1999)' (2001) 9 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law [Review]
L Rajamani, 'The Ethics of the Global Environment, Robin Attfield (1999)' (2000) 9 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 202 [Review]

Research programmes

Research Interests

International Environmental Law, International Climate Change Law, Climate Litigation, Compliance, Differentiation and Equity in International Law, Human Rights and the Environment

Options taught

Jurisprudence, Public International Law

Research projects