Climate change is a universal challenge that affects every aspect of our lives. It impacts our health, economies and our direct environment. As the evidence for climate change becomes increasingly irrefutable, with stronger scientific consensus and growing public concern, the legal community must take a leading role in addressing these challenges. Lawyers are uniquely positioned to influence policy, drive legislative change and advocate for solutions that mitigate the effects of climate change – especially given the increasing focus on climate change litigation and the involvement of the International Court of Justice. However, this requires that law schools – the training grounds for future lawyers – update their curricula to ensure that graduates are both aware of the legal dimensions of climate change and are prepared to take meaningful action. The following question then arises: are law schools doing enough to equip students with the necessary tools to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time?

Lack of awareness

Currently, there is a growing conversation about the role that universities, in general, should play in the fight against climate change. Initiatives such as 'Scientists for Future' (S4F) highlight the importance of academic institutions in driving climate awareness and action. Yet, when it comes to law schools specifically, progress has been slow. While many law programmes have begun to incorporate elements of sustainability and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their curricula, there is often a lack of focused, comprehensive training on climate change itself. This is a significant oversight, given the critical role that legal professionals can play in shaping climate policy and ensuring that international agreements and national laws are effectively enforced. It’s therefore essential that law schools begin to prioritise climate change training and fully integrate it into their programmes.

Climate change training at law schools

As universities – including Leiden University – embark on curriculum reforms, there's a unique opportunity to reshape legal training to address climate change. This isn't just about adding courses – it’s also about rethinking how law is taught across all areas, from constitutional law to contract law. Law students need to understand how climate change influences these fields and be equipped to use their legal skills to combat this global crisis. However, despite these opportunities, the response from law schools has been mixed, with efforts often fragmented and lacking the necessary urgency. Addressing climate change in legal training demands both curricular changes and a cultural shift, with a strong focus on interdisciplinary and integrated approaches to truly meet the challenge.

An interdisciplinary approach

One effective way to enhance climate change training in law schools is through interdisciplinary training. Climate change intersects with disciplines such as environmental science, economics, sociology and international relations. A structured Minor programme could include courses in these areas that equip future lawyers with the broad knowledge needed to address climate-related legal challenges. For instance, courses in environmental economics and sociology could help students understand the economic impacts of climate policies and the social dimensions of climate change. By integrating these perspectives, law students would be able to develop more holistic, effective legal strategies. This approach would also deepen their appreciation of the complexity of the climate crisis, enabling them to better advocate for environmental justice and enforce global climate agreements.

An integrated approach

Law schools should integrate climate change into the broader legal curriculum rather than treating it as a separate topic. Climate change impacts nearly every area of law, including tort, contract, corporate and international trade. By embedding climate-related content into existing courses, students would see how these issues are interwoven across various legal disciplines, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of their pervasive effects. For example, tort law might explore increased liabilities due to climate-related harm, contracts could address how extreme weather impacts obligations and corporate law could examine businesses' growing environmental responsibilities. This approach would broaden students' legal knowledge and prepare them to tackle real-world legal challenges relating to climate change. Embedding these topics in routine legal training would equip future lawyers with the mindset and skills needed to address climate change effectively across multiple fields.

Making law schools future proof

The legal profession has a crucial role to play in the fight against climate change, and that means law schools need to step up to the challenge. By integrating climate change into their curricula through interdisciplinary training and an integrated approach across all areas of law, law schools can prepare the next generation of lawyers to be leaders in this global effort. These changes aren’t just about adding more content; they’re about transforming how law is taught so that it reflects the realities of the world we live in. The time for action is now – law schools must ensure that their graduates are capable of understanding the legal aspects of climate change and are equipped to take meaningful action to mitigate its effects. By doing this, we can ensure that our legal systems are robust enough to address the challenges of the future and that our lawyers are ready to lead the way in creating a more sustainable world.

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