SPIL Mumbai is pleased to present a conversation with Dr. Arpitha Kodiveri, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Vassar College. In this Q&A, Dr. Kodiveri reflects on how the ICJ’s articulation of State obligations toward future generations intersects with questions of accountability, human rights, and forest-community governance.

In our latest blog, the Author examines the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as a transformative trade–climate policy, highlighting its dual role: curbing carbon leakage while imposing heavy costs on developing economies like India. The piece explores equity concerns, WTO compatibility under MFN, national treatment and tariff rules, and argues India must pursue a “compliance with reservation” strategy, balancing mitigation, advocacy, and possible WTO action.

This blog critiques India’s Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) framework, highlighting how corporations evade liability by operating just outside ESZ borders, despite causing ecological harm. Courts have focused on rigid, boundary-based protection, creating a jurisprudential gap between legal reasoning and ecological reality. Drawing on global models, the post urges India to adopt dynamic, science-driven ESZs, cumulative EIAs, and liability for off-site damage to ensure holistic accoun