dr. K. Thapa (Kaustubh)

My current research focuses on developing the concept of integrity as a guiding principle for voluntary climate action by non-state and sub-state actors. As state-led climate efforts remain insufficient and voluntary actions risk greenwashing, integrity—defined as both "the right thing to do" and "a holistic approach"—is becoming increasingly essential for meaningful and credible climate action.

My past research on circular economy examined the governance of transboundary waste trade, focusing on e-waste, plastic waste, and used car tires exported abroad from the EU for "recycling" and "reuse." I critically assessed the sustainability of these so-called circular practices by analyzing extended producer responsibility policies for waste management and tracking waste flows and its governance from the EU to Nigeria, Vietnam, and China—highlighting the often-overlooked international segments of the waste value chain that remain out of sight and out of mind. Using transdisciplinary methods, I co-developed the concept of Ultimate Producer Responsibility as a policy intervention to support a just transition toward circularity and sustainability.