Biennial Global Online Symposium & Hon Justice CD Gonthier Memorial Lectures
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 will be held on July 10, 2026 and is hosted online 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, and other distinguished academic partners, together with renowned experts who serve as United Nations Human Rights Rapporteurs, the International Law Association (ILA), the International Inter- Tribal Trade & Investment Organization (IITIO), (NZLA), the McGill Journal of Sustainable Development Law (MJSDL), the Nigerian Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (JSDLP), the Cambridge International Law Journal (CILJ), Canada’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and other partners.
Human Rights, Sustainable Development & the Law
Biennial Global Online Symposium & Hon Justice CD Gonthier Memorial Lectures
Friday, 10 July 2026
08:30 – 09:00 (Montreal) | 13:30 – 14:00 (Cambridge)
Online Moderation & Technical Checks
09:00 – 09:30 (Montreal) | 14:00 – 14:30 (Cambridge)
Opening Plenary
Chairs: Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger & Prof. Nandini Ramanujan
09:30 – 10:00 (Montreal) | 14:30 – 15:00 (Cambridge)
High-Level Keynote Segment: Human Rights in the Global Climate Emergency
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)
Chairs: Adv. Ayman Cherkaoui & Dr. Ashfaq Khalfan
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)
Chairs: Prof. Markus Gehring, Prof. Ilaria Espa & Dr. Fabiano de Andrade Correa
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 & International Justice Awards
Chairs: Hon. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema & Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger
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)
Chairs: Prof. Maya Prabhu, Prof. Jorge Cabrera & Adv. Neshan Gunasekera
15:35 – 16:30 (Montreal) | 20:35 – 21:30 (Cambridge)
Closing International Roundtable
Rights-Based Approaches to Sustainable Development: Law, Policy & Future Directions
Chairs: Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger & Prof. Nandini Ramanujan
The mid-conference high level plenary features the biennial Hon Justice CD Gonthier Memorial Lectures of 2026, which after brief opening remarks by a representative of the Supreme Court of Canada, are given by eminent international leaders in the field of international human rights law and sustainable development, and celebrates the 2026 HE Judge CG Weeramantry International Justice Awards (WIJA) and the 2026 Global Fellowship.
Keynote speakers and interactive online dialogue will focus on three key themes. As identified by the UN Human Rights Commission, the UN Rapporteurs on Human Rights, and the European, Inter-American and African Courts on Human Rights and other international treaties, these are essential for law and policy measures to advance the SDGs:
-
- 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 realized in climate mitigation, adaptation and finance, including efforts to address loss and damage;
-
- The contributions of legal and governance systems to incentivizing the realization of human rights in more sustainable business, including trade, investment and financial flows;
-
- 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 convenes 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.