Course Catalogue

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The proposed Land, Development & Sustainability course offers a global exploration of how, by shaping how the land is used and who can hold it, the law plays a key role in development and, as a result, in sustainability. Most development policies rely, at least to some extent, on the recongition or formalisation of land rights. This very process entails a commodification of land which often results in the eviction of local communities for the benefit of a profit-centered idea of development, sometimes hindering the sustainable use of land for the benefit of future generations. The course addresses the effects of land laws and policies on development and sustainability, with a specific focus on how it may hinder the functioning of ecosystems and makes populations more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, unless protective policies are implemented in the law.

Motivated by the recognition of the complexity of land use systems, this course examines how the excessive formalisation of land titles happens at the expense of local livelihoods and ecosystems, which then become more vulnerable to climate change. It takes a historical approach to the commodification of land - including the colonial and decolonial eras which are critical in this context - before turning to very practical issues such as pastoralist land rights and mobility, irrigation systems and water management, sustainable crop farming systems, green grabbings and other forms of expropriation, management of remote areas, sustainable urbanism, etc., which affect human societies and their resilience to climate change.

This research-led seminar relies on examples from throughout the world to foster critical thinking about land in practical contexts. Knowledge of land law from any jurisdiction is not a prerequisite and this course is not about the technicalities of land law; however, it aims to go further and look at the practical implementation and effects of land law mechanisms in local and global settings. It analyses the social and environemental consequences that result from commonly found rules in land laws throughout the world, particularly but not exclusively in light of access to land by local populations as well as climate change and vulnerability thereto.

This course is intended to be delivered as a face-to-face seminar. 10 x 2 hour seminars in semester 1.

The course is open to all LLM students subject to the requirements of the LLM programme to which a student is enrolled. It will be a compulsory course for a new LLM programme Climate Law and Justice starting in academic year 2026/2027. 

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The summative assessment consists of two woks:

1. A mid-term portfolio consisting of documentation on a real-life issue, relevant legislation and case law, together with relevant academic and grey literature. It will explain how the student intends to write the other part of the assessment. The explanations accompanying the portfolio should be a maximum of 500 words, in addition to a list of resources (with links or files) comprising the portfolio (30% of the overall grade).

2. An end-of-semester policy note discussing a real-life issue, providing an assessment of the problem and substantiated recommendations for improvement. It will contain evidence of research in academic and grey literature. The note should be a maximum of 3,500 words (70% of overall grade).

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the ways in which rules about land use and tenure shape social relations in a context where the use of land is an important factor of social cohesion and human development, but can also worsen climate change and its effects, as well as create vulnerabilities to this change among affected social groups. The course explores the interaction between commonly found mechanisms of property law and their practical consequences for societies and the environment. Students will develop practical skills in legal analysis, policy evaluation and critical engagement with the ways in which land is legally conceptualised and used.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of how the law shapes the ways in which we can interact with land, and how it affects local communities, their livelihoods and their ability to adapt to climate change.

2. Identify key mechanisms and legal instruments, at the local, national and international levels that have direct or indirect consequences on land development and sustainability.

3. Evaluate the impact of legal and regulatory instruments on land development and sustainability from a range of angles and with reference to the various activities land is used for.

4. Develop evidence-based legal and policy strategies to make the use of land more sustainable while fostering just and inclusive development locally and regionally.