Social Science Impact Accellerator: Partnership with JSW Law and MoICE (Bhutan)

Strengthen collaboration with Bhutanese policymakers and research community on the role insolvency law can play to reduce human-made climate change; Support for a major ESRC funding application on climate-friendly restructuring in developing countries, involving also Nalsar University (India – Ms Ishana Tripathi).

The proposed partnership builds on my extensive research on insolvency and climate change. I co-authored the forthcoming World Bank report “The Role of Insolvency Law in Response to Climate Change”, which explores how insolvency frameworks can support climate resilience, especially in emerging economies. Climate-related risks—such as extreme weather events, regulatory changes, and shifts in market preferences—can threaten the viability of businesses. Insolvency laws can facilitate the rehabilitation of companies affected by climate shocks, encourage investment in green technologies, and ensure that environmental liabilities are addressed during insolvency proceedings.

Implementing these recommendations often encounters resistance and scepticism. Residencies like this are designed to open a constructive dialogue with policymakers, business associations, and the judiciary, to explore how these proposals can be meaningfully adapted to the legal, economic, and cultural contexts of target countries (especially countries that embrace sustainability as a policy goal, like Bhutan).

This work is grounded in socio-legal and comparative methodologies and aligns with the ESRC’s remit in Law and Social Sciences.