South Asian Conference on Sustainability & Climate Justice (SACSCJ), 2026

About CARD

The Community for Academic Research and Development (CARD) is India’s first Multi-disciplinary Academic Research Organisation, conceptualised to respond to the evolving demands of knowledge production in an increasingly interconnected, complex and policy-driven world.

Established as a not-for-profit research foundation, CARD seeks to redefine the traditional boundaries of academic research by fostering interdisciplinary inquiry, comparative regional studies, and applied scholarship that directly informs policy, governance, and societal development. 

About the Conference

The South Asian Conference on Sustainability & Climate Justice, 2026 is a flagship international conference organised by the Community for Academic Research and Development (CARD) in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Conference seeks to establish an interdisciplinary platform that brings together scholars, policymakers, environmental lawyers, climate scientists, economists, sustainability professionals, government officials, development practitioners, civil society organisations, industry leaders, innovators, researchers, students, and international organisations to deliberate upon one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century; building equitable, resilient, and sustainable societies while advancing climate justice.

As climate change continues to intensify across South Asia through rising temperatures, biodiversity loss, extreme weather events, food insecurity, water scarcity, and climate-induced displacement, there is an urgent need for collaborative regional solutions that integrate environmental sustainability, economic development, social justice, and international cooperation.

The Conference provides a multidisciplinary platform for examining contemporary developments in climate governance, environmental law, biodiversity conservation, renewable energy, sustainable development, circular economy, climate finance, ESG frameworks, disaster resilience, carbon markets, sustainable technology, and ecological justice.

Particular emphasis will be placed on regional cooperation within South Asia and the Global South to advance inclusive and sustainable development pathways consistent with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Theme & Sub themes

Sustainability, Climate Justice and Environmental Governance

Participants are invited to submit papers engaging with the following thematic tracks:

1. Climate Change Law and Global Climate Governance

• Paris Agreement implementation
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
• Climate litigation
• International climate negotiations
• Climate governance frameworks
• Loss and Damage mechanisms
• Climate accountability and compliance

2. Sustainability, Environmental Governance and Public Policy

• Sustainable development policies
• Environmental governance reforms
• ESG governance
• Environmental impact assessment
• Green public policy
• Sustainable urban governance
• Regulatory innovations

3. Climate Justice and Human Rights

• Environmental justice
• Climate justice in developing countries
• Human rights and climate change
• Climate migration
• Gender and climate resilience
• Indigenous communities and environmental rights
• Intergenerational equity

4. Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Governance

• Biodiversity protection
• Ecosystem restoration
• Wildlife conservation
• Forest governance
• Community-based conservation
• Protected areas management
• Nature-based solutions

5. Renewable Energy and Green Technologies

• Solar energy
• Wind energy
• Green hydrogen
• Clean technology innovation
• Sustainable infrastructure
• Energy transition
• Green industrialisation

6. Sustainable Cities and Urban Resilience

• Smart sustainable cities
• Urban climate resilience
• Sustainable transportation
• Green buildings
• Urban biodiversity
• Waste management
• Circular urban development

7. Circular Economy and Sustainable Production

• Circular economy models
• Waste-to-resource innovation
• Sustainable manufacturing
• Plastic pollution
• Resource efficiency
• Green supply chains
• Responsible consumption

8. Climate Finance and Sustainable Investment

• Green finance
• Carbon markets
• ESG investment
• Climate risk disclosure
• Sustainable banking
• Climate insurance
• Public-private financing

9. Agriculture, Food Security and Water Sustainability

• Climate-smart agriculture
• Sustainable food systems
• Water governance
• Irrigation innovation
• Food security
• Soil conservation
• Sustainable fisheries

10. Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Resilience

• Disaster governance
• Climate adaptation
• Early warning systems
• Community resilience
• Disaster recovery
• Infrastructure resilience
• Humanitarian responses

11. Technology, Innovation and Sustainability

• Artificial Intelligence for sustainability
• Digital environmental governance
• Climate technologies
• Satellite monitoring
• Green innovation ecosystems
• Sustainable digital transformation
• Environmental data governance

12. Comparative and International Perspectives

• UNEP initiatives
• IUCN conservation frameworks
• SDGs implementation
• Regional environmental cooperation
• Comparative climate jurisprudence
• South Asian sustainability governance
• Global South perspectives

Categories

• Research Article: 3,000 to 5,000 words
• Policy Paper / Legislative Analysis: 3,000 to 5,000 words
• Case Studies / Legal Commentaries: 2,000 to 4,000 words

Format & Structure

• Font: Times New Roman
• Body Text: 12pt, Justified Alignment
• Headings: 14pt, Centre Alignment
• Subheadings: 13pt
• Footnotes: 10pt, Left Alignment
• Citation Style: Bluebook 21st Edition
• Spacing: 1.5
• Language: English only

How to Submit?

Interested candidates can submit entries via the link given at the end of the post.

Important dates

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 31st July 2026(Abstracts should be between 250–300 words, clearly indicating the research question, methodology and relevance to the Conference themes.)
• Notification of Abstract Selection: 2nd August 2026(Selected authors will be notified via email and invited to submit full papers.)
• Full Paper Submission Deadline: 7th August 2026(Full-length papers should be 3,000–4,000 words and follow the Conference’s Submission Guidelines.)
• Confirmation of Presentation: 8th August 2026(Selected participants to be confirmed for presentation and complete registration.)
• Date of Conference: 10-11th August 2026

Contact

For direct communication, email us at secretariat@cardint.org. 

Click here to Submit.