Environmental Law
Advanced postgraduate study of environmental law and governance, addressing climate change, biodiversity, pollution, sustainable development and other environmental challenges across domestic and international contexts.
About the Programme
The LLM in Environmental Law, offered through UWC's Global Environmental Law Centre (GELC), provides advanced engagement with environmental law and governance at a time when environmental challenges increasingly transcend national boundaries. Students develop the knowledge and analytical skills needed to engage critically with legal responses to contemporary environmental problems.
Programme Information
Environmental law is an innovative, dynamic and rapidly developing field that responds to a complex range of environmental and governance challenges.
These include sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity loss, marine and freshwater pollution, ocean governance, air-quality management, waste management, illegal trade in endangered species, and ethical questions relating to human and non-human environmental rights.
The causes, effects and potential solutions to many of these challenges transcend national boundaries and are increasingly global in scope.
The Master's programme aims to equip students with an advanced understanding of the scope and evolution of environmental law, together with in-depth knowledge of the major concepts, cases, principles and debates that shape effective environmental-law and governance frameworks.
Advanced engagement with foundational and contemporary principles of environmental law and governance.
The international legal principles, institutions and frameworks used to address environmental challenges that cross national boundaries.
Legal and governance responses to climate change, including evolving domestic and international approaches.
Constitutional dimensions of environmental protection, nature and environmental rights.
Through the programme's modules, students are introduced to foundational rules and principles of environmental law and governance and develop the skills needed to evaluate the role of law in responding to contemporary environmental problems.
The programme engages both the domestic South African context and the international context, enabling students to consider how legal and governance systems respond to environmental problems at different levels.
Prospective students should confirm the final 2027 delivery format and timetable with the Faculty before registration.
Programme Actions & Enquiries
Use the links below for application, programme and postgraduate admission information.
Postgraduate enquiries
lawpostgradenq@uwc.ac.za / gelc@uwc.ac.za
