The 13th International Sustainability Conference of IIM Shillong is convened at a critical juncture in global development, as nations and communities grapple with the interconnected challenges of climate change, resource constraints, and widening social inequalities. The chosen theme “Climate Change, Circular Economy and Social Equity” reflects a growing global consensus that sustainability challenges cannot be addressed in isolation and must instead be tackled through integrated, systems-oriented, and inclusive approaches.
Recent global developments underscore the urgency of this convergence. The year 2024 was confirmed as the hottest year on record, with global average temperatures reaching approximately 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, pushing the world perilously close to the Paris Agreement threshold. Intensifying heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and glacier loss across continents have reinforced scientific warnings that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present and escalating reality affecting ecosystems, livelihoods, and human well-being worldwide. In response, the global policy landscape is evolving. At COP28 in Dubai, countries concluded the first-ever Global Stocktake, calling for a transition away from fossil fuels and operationalizing the long-awaited Loss and Damage Fund to support climate-vulnerable nations, marking a significant though incomplete step towards climate justice.
Parallel to climate action, the circular economy has gained renewed prominence as a strategic response to resource depletion and emissions-intensive linear production models. The European Union’s adoption of the Right to Repair Directive in 2024, which mandates product durability, access to spare parts, and repairability for key consumer goods, signals a decisive policy shift toward extending product lifecycles, reducing waste, and fostering green jobs. Similar initiatives worldwide from e-waste reduction strategies to urban mining and reuse ecosystems highlight the economic and environmental potential of circular systems when aligned with innovation and regulatory support.
Equally central to the sustainability transition is the imperative of social equity. Climate impacts and transition costs continue to fall disproportionately on vulnerable communities, workers in carbon-intensive sectors, and developing economies. Recognizing this, international discourse has increasingly emphasized the concept of a “just transition”, which seeks to ensure that the shift toward low-carbon and circular economies generates inclusive growth, decent work, and social protection. At recent global forums, including COP negotiations and UN-led initiatives, social dialogue, human rights, and equitable access to climate finance have emerged as critical enablers of durable and legitimate climate action.
Against this evolving global backdrop, the International Sustainability Conference at IIM Shillong provides a vital platform for interdisciplinary engagement, critical scholarship, and collaborative problem-solving. By bringing together diverse perspectives across academia, policy, industry, and civil society, the conference aims to deepen understanding, share best practices, and co-create pathways that simultaneously address climate imperatives, advance circular economic models, and uphold principles of social equity. The conversations and insights generated through this forum aspire to contribute meaningfully to building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable futures—both in the Global South and beyond.
