The first part of the course introduces the origins, theories, and legal definition of sustainable development. In particular, the three pillars (economic, ecological, and social) of sustainable development and their relationships are discussed. Thereby, the course focuses on intra- and intergenerational justice, the relationship between humans and nature, and different ways of implementing sustainable development.

The second part of the course focuses on application. After an introduction to the areas of transnational corporate responsibility and climate change litigation, the class actively deep dives into the legislation and litigation of corporate responsibility. In particular, the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the Dutch Court case Milieudefensie et al. v. Royal Dutch Shell are discussed.