The world is experiencing an unprecedented environmental crisis. A rich body of international norms and institutions has developed in response to this crisis, attempting to address problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, or transboundary pollution.

This LLM provides students with an opportunity to critically appraise the manner in which international law governs the relationship between mankind and the natural world. The course sets international environmental law in its broader philosophical, historical and political contexts, and engages students in an interdisciplinary study of the transnational legal processes designed to prevent and respond to environmental challenges. The LLM also emphasises the complex relationship between environmental regulation and other fields of law, such as trade or human rights law.

The LLM in International Law and the Environment is a gateway to a range of employment opportunities. These include careers in international NGOs, charities, international organisations like the UN, policy think-tanks, advocacy groups, government and academia. Increasingly, the private sector is also looking for professionals with strong background in environmental law and policy due to the rapid development of CSR (corporate social responsibility) and corporate sustainability standards.