Law, Environment and Development Centre

The Law, Environment and Development Centre (LEDC) investigates the dynamic relationships between the fields of law, environment and development.

The main goal of the centre is to advance research and teaching and explore the role each of these disciplines play in realising sustainable development and natural resource use, particularly in the Global South. 

For more information about ongoing and planned LEDC activities, please visit: LEDC

Applications for PhDs relating to the work of the centre are warmly invited and should be directed to Professor Philippe Cullet or Dr Birsha Ohdeda. 

Postgraduate modules in Environmental and Natural Resource Law and Policy

• Law and Natural Resources (full-year)
• Alternatives to Sustainable Development: Rights of Nature and Harmony with Nature (Term 2)
• International Environmental Law  (Term 1)
• Law and the Biodiversity Crisis (Term 2)
• Water Justice: Rights, Access and Movements (Law)  (Term 1)
• Law, Environment and Social Justice  (Term 2)
• Law, Environment, and the Global Commons: Ice, Sea, Space and Beyond (Term 1) 
• Law and the Climate Crisis  (Term 1)

Postgraduate modules in Environmental and Natural Resource Law and Policy (only available to SOAS-NLUD joint degree students)

• International environmental law and policy with reference to South Asia
• Foundations of Environmental Justice with reference to South Asia
• Climate Justice and Climate Law: South-North Perspectives

Environmental Law & Policy Clinic

At the SOAS Environmental Law & Policy Clinic, students take the lead in driving impactful change. We collaborate with NGOs, charities, activist-lawyers, and legal collectives, to conduct critical research that addresses the pressing environmental challenges of the day and informs advocacy. The Clinic runs projects where students harness their expertise to advance environmental law, policy, and advocacy

In the 2022/23, the Clinic ran its inaugural project focused on local-level climate action in partnership with the Environmental Law Foundation. Details about this project can be found here. In 2023/24, the Clinic undertook two projects centered on the rights of nature. The first project, conducted in collaboration with Lawyers for Nature, examined various guardianship models for Rights of Nature worldwide. The second project, carried out in partnership with the Environmental Law Foundation, involved contributing research towards the development of a river charter for the River Ouse. This initiative aims to establish the River Ouse as the first river in England to be granted legal rights.

The Clinic is a voluntary student initiative directed by Dr. Birsha Ohdedar. During Term 1, students will be informed of ways to get involved.

The Law, Environment and Development Centre undertakes research in various areas of environmental law of contemporary relevance. The centre's research focuses in particular on topics of relevance to the South and to North-South relations:

• Biodiversity: access and benefit sharing; equity; farmers' rights; intellectual property rights; traditional knowledge.
• Biosafety: biotechnology, in particular agro-biotechnology in the South; precautionary principle; liability regimes.
• Climate change: common but differentiated responsibility; Clean Development Mechanism, emissions trading.
• Forests: governance, biodiversity, energy, forest users rights and trade.
• Natural resources: land; mining, plant genetic resources for food and agriculture; multinational companies.
• Sanitation: right to sanitation, wastewater, manual scavenging and sewage workers; gender.
• Water: right to water, groundwater, governance and institutions; environment; regulation and privitisation.