Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh is Assistant Professor of Public International Law at Leiden University. Her research broadly speaking focuses on the role of law in advancing sustainable development, with particular attention to the nexus between climate justice and human rights. Her recent book, ‘State Responsibility, Climate Change and Human Rights’ (Hart Publishing) explains when and where State action related to climate change may amount to a violation of human rights.
In 2018 she received a NWO Veni-grant for her project ‘Climate Justice through the Courts’ (2019-2022). This project uses socio-legal research to investigate the effectiveness and potential drawbacks of rights-based climate litigation. From 2015 to 2018, Margaretha was a (Senior) Lecturer in Environmental Law at the University of the South Pacific (USP) School of Law in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Amongst other things, she carried out research into the impact of climate displacement on the enjoyment of human rights. She remains affiliated with USP as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Environmental Law, supporting, amongst other things, Pacific Island students assisting their national delegations at international climate change negotiations.
She is currently also finalising an open-access edited volume ‘Environmental Law and Governance in the Pacific: Climate Change, Biodiversity and Communities’ (with Evan Hamman, forthcoming with Routledge). Margaretha’s research builds on more than a decade of involvement in legal processes related to sustainable development and human rights. Amongst other things, she has acted as a legal adviser to governments at international climate change negotiations, represented non-governmental organisations at the UN Human Rights Council, and advised the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the nexus between climate change and human rights in Africa. She is currently advising the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Regional Office for the Pacific on human rights and climate justice, and serves as the Deputy Regional Director for Europe of the Global Network on Human Rights and the Environment. Margaretha holds a PhD from the European University Institute, a European Master’s in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA) from the European Inter-University Centre on Human Rights and Democratisation, a Graduate LLB from Nottingham Law School and a BA (Philosophy) and BSc (Cultural Anthropology & Development Studies) from the Radboud University. She received a Lord Justice Holker Award from the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn (London) and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2014.