Dr. Gurdial Singh Nijar is a distinguished Malaysian legal scholar, environmental policy expert, international negotiator and human rights advocate whose work has significantly shaped both national legislation and global environmental governance. Respected for his deep legal insight and principled leadership, he has dedicated his career to advancing justice, sustainability and the rule of law both in Malaysia and across the world.
Born and educated in Malaysia, Dr. Nijar pursued law at King’s College London, earning his LLB with Honours, before completing his Master’s in Law at the University of Malaya. His academic excellence laid the foundation for a career that would seamlessly integrate legal scholarship, public service and international diplomacy. For over 16 years, he served as a professor at the University of Malaya’s Faculty of Law, where he specialized in environmental and international law. He also founded and directed the National Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity Law (NCEBL), which played a vital role in guiding Malaysia’s legislative efforts in biodiversity protection and compliance with global environmental agreements.
Internationally, Dr. Nijar became a key figure representing Malaysia and other developing nations in high-stakes treaty negotiations under the United Nations. He played a central role in the development of critical multilateral agreements such as the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (2010), the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress (2010) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2015). His ability to articulate the concerns of the Global South, indigenous peoples and local communities helped ensure that international frameworks were more inclusive and equitable.
Beyond negotiations, Dr. Nijar has held prestigious international roles, including as Senior Research Fellow at the South Centre in Geneva, legal expert for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome and member of the Compliance Committee under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Within Malaysia, he has been a strong advocate for human rights and democratic values, having served as Vice President of HAKAM (National Human Rights Society), where he championed constitutional freedoms, judicial independence and civil rights.
As a prolific author, Dr. Nijar has written extensively on law, biotechnology, biodiversity and litigation. His works—such as Patenting Life Forms: Law & Practice, Civil Trial Advocacy and Drafting for Lawyersare widely cited and used by legal practitioners, academics and policy professionals throughout the region.
Dr. Gurdial Singh Nijar’s life and work stand as a testament to the power of law to shape a fairer, more sustainable world. Whether in classrooms, courtrooms or international forums, he has remained steadfast in his commitment to justice, earning him recognition as one of Malaysia’s most influential legal minds and a respected voice in global environmental advocacy.