International Law and Sustainability (LL.M.): International law for tomorrow

Politically, climate change, the biodiversity crisis, and environmental pollution are currently taking a back seat. “We haven't overcome them, and they can't be voted out,” explains Prof. Dr. Jelena Bäumler, professor of public law, European law, and international law, specializing in sustainability law. To address these global challenges, the International Law and Sustainability (LL.M.) program is taking an unusual approach: While traditional programs primarily teach what applies, the new master's program asks a second question: What would international law need to look like in order to effectively address global challenges?

International law is under pressure. On the one hand, the order that emerged after the Second World War is increasingly being called into question. On the other hand, there is a considerable need to protect global common goods and to resolutely oppose the ongoing exploitation of people and nature. In this period of upheaval, the Master's program in International Law and Sustainability (LL.M.) has set itself the goal of training lawyers who rethink international law—with a particular focus on issues of sustainability: “We are facing planetary crises that can only be solved globally,” explains Jelena Bäumler. “To do this, we need lawyers who not only know how the law currently works, but who also think about what should apply in the future.”

The two-year, English-language program systematically combines international public law, transnational private law, and sustainability. In doing so, the master's program addresses a central weakness of international law to date: its fragmentation. Human rights, environmental law, and international economic law largely exist side by side. “Sustainability requires us to think about ecological, social, and economic dimensions together,” explains Jelena Bäumler.

The program therefore focuses on the question of what an integrated international sustainability law might look like. Topics such as global public goods, corporate responsibility, global supply chains, human rights, and international climate regulation are on the curriculum, as are classical international law and private international law. “Since the implementation of visions for effective global sustainability law cannot function without the necessary legal tools, another focus of the program is on international legislative and negotiation processes,” explains Prof. Dr. Valentin Schatz, junior professor of public law, European law, and international law, specializing in environmental and maritime law.

A special feature is the double degree: after the first year of study in Lüneburg, students transfer to a partner university in their second year and earn another LL.M. degree there. At the University of Glasgow, for example, students can deepen their knowledge of climate protection law and global governance. The Università degli Studi di Milano, on the other hand, offers a specialization in international law and sustainable development that combines sustainable development with international economic and environmental law. The University of the West Indies and the University of the Western Cape broaden the spectrum of content and approaches. This not only offers a wide range of topics, but also enables students to gain a new perspective. 

Bachelor's degree graduates can apply for the study program until June 1, 2026 (EU degrees) and May 1, 2026 (non-EU degrees).