Philippe Cullet

Professor Philippe Cullet is a leading academic in international and environmental law, currently affiliated with SOAS University of London as Professor of International and Environmental Law and Director of the Law, Environment and Development Centre (LEDC). He also serves as a Visiting Professor at the National Law University, Delhi. As founding editor of the peer-reviewed Law, Environment and Development Journal (LEAD Journal), he bridges academic research with practical policy engagement.

His research spans environmental law, natural resource governance, human rights, and intellectual property in global south contexts. Key projects include water law reforms in India, groundwater governance, biodiversity benefit-sharing, and environmental justice frameworks. He has advised Indian policy bodies on groundwater regulation and national water law drafting committees.

• Education: LLM, MA (London), JSM, JSD (Stanford)
• Key Publications: 9 monographs including Water Law, Poverty and Development (OUP, 2009) and Research Handbook on Law, Environment and the Global South (Elgar, 2019)
• Policy Engagement: Convenor of Indian Planning Commission's groundwater legal subgroup (2011), member of 2015-16 water law drafting committees for India's Ministry of Water Resources

Recent scholarship examines legal personhood for nature, planetary health, and water rights in the context of climate change. His 2025 work on river rights and groundwater community management reflects ongoing focus on equity and participatory governance.