Dr. Manuj Bhardwaj is a distinguished international lawyer, strategic advisor, and policy expert with close to a decade of global experience at the intersection of law, sustainability, and governance. His expertise spans international regulatory frameworks governing global carbon markets, international trade, energy transition, climate change, and sustainable development. His work is particularly focused on emissions trading systems, ESG disclosures and compliance mechanisms, carbon border adjustment measures, sustainable corporate governance, supply chain due diligence, climate and carbon finance, and the legal dimensions of the energy transition.
He has worked with a range of high-impact intergovernmental, international and governmental institutions, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the British Parliament, the World Bank Group, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the International Law Institute, and the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C. With expertise spanning international trade, investment law, climate policy, and sustainable development, Dr. Bhardwaj has advised sovereign governments, multilateral agencies, and corporations across jurisdictions including India, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, the UK, the US, and Switzerland. His last assignment was with the World Trade Organization in Geneva, where he worked at the intersection of trade, climate, and sustainability. His multidisciplinary approach and legal acumen continue to shape critical conversations and strategies in the global trade, climate and
sustainability space.
Dr. Bhardwaj has helped design legal and policy frameworks that support low-carbon growth and impact investing across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. His clients and counterparties have been private equity funds, oil majors, international banks, Development Financial Institutions (DFIs), sovereign funds, law firms, corporates, and philanthropic organizations. As part of his extensive experience in the global Voluntary Carbon Markets [VCMs], he is closely tracking and analyzing the implications of Paris Agreement Article 6 and the evolving nature of the Indian Carbon Market. Manuj also offers unparalleled expertise in carbon market finance, impact investing and other environmental commodity markets based on his years of experience, training and education. He has significant on-point experience with carbon projects in India.
Holding a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D./Ph.D.) in International Trade and Climate Law from American University Washington College of Law (Washington, DC) and dual master’s degrees in Public Policy and Human Development with specialization in Foreign Policy focused on International Trade and Climate Policy from the United Nations University and Maastricht University (The Netherlands), Dr. Bhardwaj continues to contribute to global climate and trade discourse through high-level communication, thought-leadership, research, and teaching. He is the only lawyer till date to be awarded the prestigious United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Doctoral Scholarship.
He has advised Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India on the preparation of roadmap for increasing services exports to $1 trillion by 2030. His professional affiliations include advisory roles such as Executive Secretary of the Indian National Association of Legal Professionals and Senior Advisor to the International Law Institute in Washington, D.C. Manuj frequently offers expert commentary on Indian news channels, particularly on issues related to energy security, defense, trade and foreign policy providing valuable insights into international relations.