Speaker: Nadia Ahmad
Subject: From Carbon to Cooperation: Building International Pathways for Just Transitions
Time: 1 October 2025 13:30 Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Summary: The climate crisis necessitates a fundamental reimagining of global economic systems through decarbonization processes that transcend mere technological substitution to encompass comprehensive socio-ecological transformation. This talk interrogates the theoretical and practical dimensions of “just transitions” as an emergent paradigm in international environmental law, examining how multilateral legal architectures can operationalize equitable pathways from carbon-dependent economies while mitigating distributive and procedural injustices inherent in rapid systemic change. Through a critical analysis that synthesizes environmental jurisprudence, distributive justice theory, and technological governance frameworks, this research elucidates the tensions between climate urgency and social equity, proposing international cooperative mechanisms that integrate rights, epistemic justice, and technological democratization. The study reconceptualizes sovereignty and international law to accommodate both planetary boundaries and human rights imperatives, demonstrating how AI-enabled climate intelligence and participatory governance structures can serve as instruments of environmental justice rather than technocratic exclusion.
Biography: Nadia B. Ahmad is a Professor of Law at Barry University School of Law and Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Studies at Yale University, specializing in environmental law, climate justice, and emerging technologies. Her interdisciplinary research leverages AI and geospatial technologies to address climate resilience and environmental justice challenges with over 50 scholarly publications and her current dissertation focusing on “The Emergence of Evacuation Science.” As co-founder of Mudder AI, a climate technology platform supported by Yale Ventures, she translates academic research into practical tools that democratize climate intelligence for emergency managers and communities. Professor Ahmad serves as an Affiliated Faculty Member at Harvard Law School’s Institute for Global Law and Policy and Fellow at Rutgers Center for Security.
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