Centre for Sustainable Development Law and Policy

Welcome to CSDLP

The Centre for Sustainable Development Law and Policy focuses on environmental sustainability and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in all its dimensions: environmental, economic, and social.

Our centre's vision is for a sustainable future for present and future generations, where life in harmony with nature can flourish, through outstanding research and innovation that enables societies to co-develop transformative economic models and technological innovations that are grounded in ecological preservation, the protection of human and planetary health, social inclusion and human rights. The UN SDGs serve as cross-cutting themes in our projects, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

Meet the CSDLP Team

United Nation Sustainable Development Goals

Mission

Our centre's mission is to expand and deepen human knowledge through interdisciplinary and international collaborations. Our research is challenge-led, curiosity-driven, and solution-oriented, and our engagement with our partners enables societal transformations and transitions towards safer climate futures where everyone can thrive.

More about sustainability at Durham

Teaching and Learning

Students sitting on grass at Durham Maidan Castle

Our Projects

View our sustainability-focused programmes

JusTN0W

JusTN0W is the flagship project of the CSDLP. It is developing a world-leading interdisciplinary work programme to research sustainable and just solutions for accelerated decarbonisation of economies, and to achieve lasting societal well-being for the present and future generations.

Learn more about JusTN0W

CSDLP at COPs

Each year, a team from CSDLP attends the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the UNFCCC accreditation. We will be at COP30 in Brazil and, among other activities, we will host an official UNFCCC side event. Explore further and learn more about our work at past COPS and our plans for this year.

Learn more about our engagment with COPs

Join our network

News

2025 Conference Report available now - Just Transitions to a Net Zero World

We are pleased to announce that the 2025 Conference Report from the Second Annual International Conference on Just Transitions to a Net Zero World is available to view.

Durham news
Reflecting on COP 30

We had seven delegates at the recent 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Belém, Brazil.

Global research
Durham Declaration Launch at COP30 - Higher Education as a Climate Catalyst: From Regional Cooperation to Global Scale

Professor Petra Minnerop represented the Coimbra Group of universities at COP30 and launched the Durham Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainability

Global research