“International environmental treaties aren’t just documents, they’re living communities of practice where lawyers, scientists, and negotiators continuously reshape our response to planetary crises.”
Tejas Rao is a PhD Candidate at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy, completing his doctorate on how international lawyers shape the implementation of the Rio Conventions on climate, biodiversity, and desertification. As Research Coordinator for the Chair in Sustainable Development Law & Policy, he leads capacity-building programs reaching 8,000+ practitioners across 165 countries.
His research reveals how informal networks of legal professionals influence treaty compliance through both technical expertise and social dynamics. Currently advising the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and serving as legal advisor to climate-vulnerable nations during UN negotiations, Tejas bridges academic research with practical policy-making.
He teaches climate law at Middlesex University Dubai, manages editorial operations at multiple international law journals, and consults on making environmental governance more inclusive. His work explores how marginalized voices can reshape international law-making processes, drawing on fieldwork across multiple continents and his own cross-cultural background spanning Dubai, India, and the UK.
Beyond academia, Tejas supports Project EduAccess, improving higher education access for marginalized South Asian communities, and produces “Tuesdays with Mummy,” a podcast exploring intergenerational perspectives on global challenges.