The course aims at providing students with an overall understanding of the concept of sustainable development and its evolution in time. It examines the key legal instruments related to sustainable development across international, European, and national law—such as treaties, declarations, and EU regulations—while addressing its environmental, social, and economic dimensions. To fully grasp the meaning and the concrete relevance of sustainable development, the course delves into the relevant case law of domestic and international courts as well as initiatives of NGOs and other actors of the civil society.

- Knowledge and understanding. By attending lectures and engaging in teaching activities, students will learn to navigate contemporary issues relating to sustainable development under international law, European law, and national law. - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. Through the analysis of legal cases and practices by actors of the civil society, students will learn to identify the concrete implications underlying legal issues addressed during the course. - Autonomy of judgment. Thanks to the knowledge and concepts learned during the course, students will be able to form their own evaluations and judgments on course topics and to address practical challenges encountered in the analysis of the case law and practices. - Communication skills. Students will learn the technical legal terminology and how to formulate sound legal arguments. For this purpose, students will have the possibility to engage in presentations of legal cases to the rest of the class and actively contribute to the discussion of such cases. - Learning skills. Students will develop an eclectic approach to the subject through the different lenses of international, European and national law. They will learn how to autonomously apply acquired skills to problems beyond those discussed in class.

The contents of the course are detailed in the following sections. They focus on sustainable development within the field of public law.

Academic papers, book chapters, cases presented by students.

Teaching methods will include lectures, case study discussions, presentations by students.

The final exam consists of an oral examination. There will be a written mid-term exam, which counts as 33% of the final grade. Oral presentations during the course can be considered as part of the final evaluation, amounting to 33% of the final grade.

Students will be assessed on the basis of their knowledge of the subject and their ability to resolve practical problems, as well as their active participation in class.