I’m Aoife, a 22 year old law student at Leiden University. In the lead up to the Paris Agreement, I - for the first time - felt acutely aware of the scale of the problem that climate change poses. Quickly thereafter, sustainability drew my interest because it takes into account planetary, economic and human aspects. In my free time and through various side jobs, such as working for The Ocean Cleanup, I aimed to contribute to sustainability. However, on a daily basis my law studies and my interest in sustainability weren’t merged until one day I realized this discrepancy. Justice, and how our legal system is governed, is essential to a more sustainable future. And what we as students learn today can have a life-long impact. I wanted every student to be thinking about sustainability in relation to the core of his or her studies!

This is why, together with a friend, I decided to organize my own course Sustainability & Law. In this lecture series, students learn about sustainability-related topics in various legal fields, ranging from greenwashing of financial assets to the importance of human rights law for sustainable development. This year, I’m glad to say the second course is starting and enrollment is open now!