The Chief Justice, Mrs. Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, leaves Accra tonight for New Delhi, India, where she will speak and also participate in an international seminar on Global Environment & Disaster Management: Law & Society from July 22-24, 2011. This is at the invitation of the Supreme Court of India. The seminar is jointly organised by the Supreme Court of India, the High Court of Delhi, the Indian Law Institute, Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Ministry of Law and Justice. A statement by the Director of Communications of the Judicial Service, Mrs Grace A. Tagoe for the Judicial Secretary, said Chief Justice Wood, alongside Mr. Justice R.K.P. Shah and Dr. Justice M.K. Sharma, both Supreme Court Judges of India, will chair a technical session on `Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management’ and the topics to be addressed by the speakers are;

1. The science and economics of biodiversity
2. Access and benefit sharing : Rights of plant breeders and traditional communities
3. Protection of biodiversity and ensuring rights of indigenous people : Legal framework
4. Bio-safety and genetically modified organisms and
5. natural resource management and the green economy.

The statement further said Chief Justice Wood will thereafter speak on Natural Resources Management, the Green Economy and the Law. It said the international seminar will nurture discussions on the useful linkages between the disciplines of law, disaster management, natural sciences, environmental conservation, anthropology and human rights law. It will also identify and understand legal and technical issues of contemporary significance in relation to the environment and share the best local, regional and international practices and experiences in combating climate change and successful disaster management and collectively seek solutions that are environmentally friendly and promote inclusive growth. The statement said the President of India, Her Excellency Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, is the Special Guest of Honour at the inaugural session of the seminar while the Chief Justice of India, Hon. Mr. Justice S.H. Kapadia, will preside over the function and deliver the keynote address. The Prime Minister of India, Hon. Dr. Manmohan Singh, will attend the closing session. Myjoyonline.com/Ghana