Here’s a law degree that can actually help save the planet

Law wasn’t exactly the path Vivien Reh envisioned for herself. She wanted something related to nature or the environment, but nothing that would confine her to a laboratory.

“And I stumbled upon the BSc in Environmental and Resource Management at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU),” she says.

It was a “If I fit, I sit” situation for Reh, as it was the only bachelor’s programme that aligned with what she wanted to do. The bonus? It was taught in English. 

“I told myself to try the programme out, and if I didn’t like it, then I could just switch my degree later on,” Reh laughs. In 2021, she graduated from the programme.

The degree was fascinating, with a mix of mathematics, physics, and chemistry — but it wasn’t quite the right fit. However, there was one elective that piqued her interest.

“It was an international environmental law class,” Reh recalls. “It (obviously) leaned more into law than natural science, and it was interesting. So I thought it would be worth doing a master’s in.”

Reh completed a Master’s of International and Comparative Law, focusing on Environmental Law and Policy from the University of Eastern Finland. Source: Vivien Reh

‘I didn’t need a law degree to get a master’s degree in international environmental law’

Getting a law degree is no easy feat. In fact, it’s one of the hardest and longest degrees in the world.

The learning curve is steep, as students must grasp various legal principles that affect many aspects of daily life.

Reh experienced just that in 2022 when she began a master’s programme in International and Comparative Law with a focus on Environmental Policy and Law at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF).

For her undergraduate degree, Reh pursued a BSc in Environmental and Resource Management, taught in English, from Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg. Source: Vivien Reh

The Master of International and Comparative Law with a focus on Environmental Law and Policy is a specialised degree and diverges from the traditional law route.

Reh had the opportunity to study criminal or tort law, but only at a general level. 

She did learn about global climate treaties such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement, and the Kyoto Protocol — even understanding how treaties are created and implemented on regional or global levels.

While the transition from science student to law student was challenging, Reh believes the switch was worthwhile.

“A disclaimer, graduates with my master’s degree are not full-fledged lawyers — we’ll never go to court,” Reh explains. “We won’t be representing clients, and we’re not allowed to become judges; however, we can become legal experts or consultants on cases, even working legal-related jobs… just not as lawyers (legally).”

Reh completed three internships, and one of them was with Mercedes-Benz AG’s department of coating, tasked with a project on sustainability concepts and evaluations of suppliers.Source: Vivien Reh

Bridging international climate law and natural science 

Today, Reh is pursuing her PhD in International Climate Law at UEF, which she loves for being able to fuse both her undergraduate and master’s backgrounds .

The thing is, PhD candidates are often tasked with solving a specific issue. But for Reh, that’s not the case.

“I don’t think I can solve anything with my PhD,” she laughs. “To be honest, my research is too big of a problem to fix.”

Reh is working at the intersection of international climate law and natural science in the context of climate tipping point science.

To put it simply, a “climate tipping point” refers to sudden, significant changes in the Earth’s climate. It examines moments when certain parts of the environment become so stressed that they can no longer remain stable, leading to significant shifts, such as rising sea levels or extreme weather.

These changes can happen more rapidly than expected and can make it harder for both people and nature to adapt.

“If you look at the Earth system, you’ll see several global systems working together to keep the planet liveable — but with today’s emissions, scientists have identified several so-called climate tipping points,” says Reh.

The rise in global temperatures is a good example of a climate tipping point. Others include the melting of the Greenland ice sheet or the disruption of the Indian monsoon.

Reh at the Global Tipping Points Conference at the University of Exeter to present preliminary findings from her research on the interactions between climate tipping point science and the international legal climate regime. Source: Vivien Reh

All of these could lead to economic challenges, social disruption, and environmental consequences across nations.

So, Reh is analysing the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, and the Kyoto Protocol to assess their effectiveness in light of emerging threats.

“It’s more than just climate change; it impacts countries and people,” she shares.

“Law and politics demand certainty; however, science can’t offer it because it’s inherently uncertain. So I’m working on creating new laws around this, or at least amending current ones to accommodate such possibilities.”