Global jurisprudence needs evolution for emerging climate: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that judicial leadership and global jurisprudence must urgently evolve to address emerging challenges like those of the deep ocean, space debris, and artificial intelligence.

The minister said there are four vital changes required, beginning with "strengthening international environmental law, regulating new technologies, updating outdated legal frameworks, and embedding intergenerational equity into judicial thinking".

The remarks came at the 26th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World at the City Montessori School here. The event was also attended also by astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla.

Singh said international environmental law can no longer function in silos as countries today face "interconnected crises" ranging from climate change to ocean degradation.

He stressed the need for regulations to govern emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and automation, noting that societies must tame ourselves (and know where) to stop".

Referring to issues such as space debris and cyber threats, Singh said several matters confronting courts today were never imagined two decades ago, yet judges are increasingly required to rule on them without established legal provisions. Therefore, he said, legal frameworks must be updated to meet contemporary realities.

The minister also emphasised the incorporation of intergenerational equity into jurisprudence, stating that judicial decisions responding to present-day grievances have long-term consequences.

"The effect of a judgement will be felt by the next generation. Climate change and space-related issues outlast us," he said.

Singh underlined that jurists today operate at the crossroads of legal interpretation, scientific understanding and moral responsibility.

"You can replace everything, but you cannot have a replacement for integrity," he said, adding that even the judicious use of AI tools demands a high degree of integrity amid contradictions such as privacy versus surveillance and liberty versus national security.

Referring to the challenges posed by new technologies, he noted that artificial intelligence and machine learning are influencing thought processes to an extent that "children may not even realise their thoughts are being influenced". This, he said, makes the role of judges even more demanding.

Talking about global crises, Singh said India faces threats from climate change, melting glaciers, cyber vulnerabilities, and ocean degradation.

With a coastal range of nearly 12,000 km, among the longest in the world, India has placed oceans at the core of its developmental priorities. Their significance was also highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speeches in 2022 and 2023, the minister noted.

Singh claimed the country had long underestimated the wealth hidden in the oceans from metals and minerals to biodiversity and fisheries but the current government has made deep-sea exploration a priority under the Deep Ocean Mission.

On India's progress in space and technology, he said the country has installed advanced instruments to detect space debris and opened the space sector to private investment following recent reforms.

He said India's space economy, once negligible, is now around USD 8 billion and expected to grow four to five times in the coming years as startups move into the "millions and billions" revenue bracket.

Singh highlighted India's rapid advances in biotechnology, saying that the national sector has grown from USD 10 billion when the Modi government came to power to nearly USD 200 billion today.

The country is pursuing a three-pronged "3E" biotechnology policy focusing on environment, employment, and economy, he said, adding that India is among the first nations to adopt such an approach.

He recalled how India once lagged behind in technology citing the late arrival of television compared to the US but said the country now ranks among a select few working on quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity missions and the Deep Ocean Mission.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, India even developed a DNA vaccine and shared it globally as a goodwill gesture, he added.

The minister said India, once not taken seriously for its health practices, has emerged as a global leader in preventive healthcare in recent years and is now developing a series of vaccines, including those targeting cervical cancer.

Singh also pointed out how earlier societal attitudes attributed children's illness to "God's grace" or the consequences of karma, whereas today India is at the forefront of scientific health solutions.

Singh concluded by saying that judicious governance of critical systems confronting "mother earth at this age and time" will require judges, policymakers, and scientists worldwide to work in sync, guided by integrity and responsibility towards future generations.