Curricula and Courses in Energy, Climate and Environmental Law

Master Energy and Climate Law

The energy sector is changing, for instance as a result of market liberalization, technological innovation and climate change concerns. Our LLM in Energy and Climate Law presents the main principles of energy market liberalization, clarifies the impact of new technologies and explains how climate law affects the energy sector. The EU is often used as an example in comparison with other jurisdictions around the globe. The programme is taught in the middle of the Energy Valley of the Netherlands, which gives ample opportunity for leading experts from the public and private sector to teach our Master students.

With an anticipated starting date of September 2022, the University of Groningen will be able to offer a dual LLM degree in Energy and Climate Law together with George Washington University, USA. Students will then benefit from highly specialized teaching at both Universities, spending half a year in Washington and half a year in Groningen. At the end of this trajectory, students obtain a dual LLM-degree from both universities.
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Advanced Master in Energy Law by North Sea Energy Law Partnership

This is an advanced programme for practitioners covering all aspects of energy law, offered by the Universities of Groningen (the Netherlands), Oslo (Norway), Aberdeen (United Kingdom) and Copenhagen (Denmark). Energy law is a diverse and dynamic field. It involves multiple powerful actors on a constantly evolving stage characterised by ever more complex problems and relationships. This two-year, part-time programme is designed to equip lawyers to operate in this demanding environment.
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Energierecht in de praktijk

Energierecht in de praktijk is een uitgebreide post-academische cursus, van het Groningen Centre of Energy Law and Sustainability (GCELS) en de Juridische Post Academische Opleidingen van de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, die zich richt op het Nederlandse energierecht vanuit een Europees perspectief. De cursus richt zich op de gehele energieketen “van put tot pit” en biedt academisch onderwijs op basis van afzonderlijke modules per sector en vanuit de sector. Per energiebron en onderdeel van de energieketen - productie, levering en transport - worden alle relevante juridische aspecten behandeld door zowel academici als deskundigen uit het werkveld.
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Minor Energy

The Minor Energy is an university-wide interdisciplinary minor for bachelor students. Societies are increasingly concerned about the sustainability, security and affordability of energy. In order to deal with these challenges, knowledge is required from several academic disciplines. The Minor Energy brings together energy experts from multiple faculties of the University of Groningen and offers bachelor students a chance to study energy-related questions from an interdisciplinary perspective. GCELS teaches energy law to students and supervises some of their research works.
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Summer Schools

GCELS has been involved in organising several summer schools with, a.o., the University of Groningen Honours College and the European Law Students’ Association Groningen (ELSA Groningen). These summer schools aim to give a broad overview of the energy sector and provide opportunities to test the acquisition of knowledge about energy law through interactive exercises.

LLM in Energy and Climate Law

This is a Top 10 Programme for Energy Law, worldwide.

The energy sector is changing as a result of market liberalization, technological innovation and climate change concerns. Our specialized Energy and Climate Law Master programme will present the main principles of energy market liberalization, clarifies the impact of new technologies and explains how climate law affects the energy sector. The EU is often used as an example in comparison with other jurisdictions around the globe. Some of the questions this programme examines will include:

How does EU law influence national laws when it comes to energy?
What are the consequences of liberalization for the energy sector?
Which legal dilemmas result from the emergence of new energy technologies?
Why should energy companies redirect their investments to deal with climate change?

To learn more about the programme, please have a look at the:

We hope that you will join us for a successful period of study and if you have any questions about studying in this programme, please fill out the information request form. For those with previous law related studies, but not an LLB from a research University, we also offer a Pre-LLM programme.

Prof. Dr Edwin Woerdman, Academic Director of the LLM in Energy and Climate Law

The LLM Energy and Climate Law is registered under the LLM CROHO label Energy and Climate Law (66829).

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North Sea Energy Law Partnership

The Universities of Groningen (the Netherlands), Oslo (Norway), Aberdeen (United Kingdom) and Copenhagen (Denmark), offer an advanced curriculum on energy law, from wellhead to burner tip. The two-year accredited joint degree programme is an LLM, designed and structured specifically for legal professionals in the energy sector.

Due to a process of liberalization, globalization and climate change, the energy sector and its legal framework are constantly changing. These changes affect the energy industry and the relationship between producers, transport companies, suppliers and customers. The number of players has increased and the legal relationships between all parties have become more complex. These developments require specialised knowledge of energy law. The North Sea Energy Law Programme aims to address these changes and is designed to equip the participants to operate in this demanding environment.

The programme is divided into four two-week blocks – including site visits – and concentrates on the following developments, each with a broad, international and comparative perspective:

Electricity and gas: Liberalising and Regulating the Market – Groningen
Upstream Oil and Gas law: Public and Contractual Law Aspects – Oslo
Energy Investments, Trade and Security – Aberdeen
Green Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development – Copenhagen

Leading experts in the field of energy law, both academics and practitioners, will provide the teaching sessions at the premises of one of the universities. The unique structure allows participants to enjoy full-time employment and facilitates the establishment of close relationships with both fellow participants and lecturers during the intensive teaching periods.

Last modified:

31 July 2023 12.33 p.m.

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