NUS Law graduate Heloisa Pereira Wins AY2023-2024 Wang Gungwu Medal and Prize for PhD Thesis in the Social Sciences and Humanities

The NUS Faculty of Law is delighted to announce that Dr Heloisa Pereira has won the prestigious Wang Gungwu Medal and Prize AY2023 (Best PhD Thesis in the Social Sciences and Humanities) for her thesis titled “Climate Change in International Trade Law”.

The award-winning work was undertaken as part of Dr Pereira’s PhD research under the mentorship of Associate Professor Jolene Lin and Professor Damian Chalmers.

Dr Pereira’s thesis addresses the critical issue of adapting the global economy to the climate crisis, highlighting the catastrophic consequences of failure: conflict, impoverishment and ecological damage. While international law, particularly through institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO), is crucial for ensuring a collective response, debates on its effectiveness are polarised. Dr Pereira’s thesis transcends these issues. She argues that existing global trade norms do present challenges for mitigating climate change and advocates for alternatives such as regional agreements and private standardisation agreements. However, she also points out, these alternatives bring new concerns around power dynamics, governance and accountability.

Professor Chalmers commented on Dr Pereira’s work: “The argument is an original and significant one. It is built out of an exhaustive study of international trade law, blending it with international relations literature, and intellectually rich and informative case studies. It is a powerful and impressive piece of research.”

Before coming to Singapore, Dr Pereira had worked for the Brazilian government, followed by the WTO, in the field of international trade law. It was through her work at the WTO that she developed a research interest in the interface between climate change and international trade law. Her choice to pursue a PhD in this field at NUS Law was due in part to her fascination with Asian culture. She said, “At that time, I knew I wanted to pursue my PhD in a renowned institution in the field of law in Asia. NUS Law came first in my list. Coming from a Latin American background to an Asian country that I had never stepped foot in before, I also sought an institution that stands for values I prize—diversity, creativity and social conscience.” Dr Pereira will receive her doctorate on July 12, 2024.

Reflecting on her win, Dr Pereira said, “I receive this award with deep honour, humility and gratitude. … My hope is that my research can help to bend history in the direction of what I believe is right—that is, a rules-based international system to regulate trade-related measures to fight climate change and ensure carbon emission mitigation comes first.”

Next in her sights is a position in the Brazilian government, one that was offered which will allow her to further her research interest. She said, “Coming from a country with the largest portion of native forests in the world, I have always treasured nature and doing sports in nature. But with changes in climate worsening over the years, I started to understand that life and nature in the oceans, in the forests and in the mountains, are not the same as they were 10 years before.” With these observations in mind, she adds, “I am convinced that adhering to a rules-based international trade system to fight climate change strengthens one’s position in that fight, leading to a result that is greener, more inclusive and more democratic.”

When asked for her thoughts on Dr Pereira’s win, Professor Lynette Chua, Vice Dean (Research), expressed pride, saying, “I am delighted for Dr Pereira. The Wang Gungwu Medal and Prize is a well-deserved recognition for a thesis that adopts an ambitious approach to study how world trade laws can help to address the global crisis of climate change.”

The winner of the AY2022/2023, Dr Irina Saharova, was also from NUS Law. Irina’s thesis on Understanding the Legal Power to Contract has potential major contribution and significant impact in the area of Private Law.