This course is an interdisciplinary, discussion-based course designed to provide undergraduate students with a concise yet rigorous philosophical foundation in climate justice. The course explores ethical dimensions of global climate change through five central questions: Who is responsible for climate change and how should the climate burden be fairly shared? How should the sustainable emissions budget be allocated globally? Do carbon offsets eliminate the moral wrongness of emissions? What justice concerns arise from geoengineering proposals? And do individuals have moral obligations to reduce their emissions?

Furthermore, guest lectures will address topics related to climate law and policy, including the EU climate law regime, climate change litigation, the protection of climate refugees, the economics of climate policy and global distributive obligations.

Using a blend of short lectures, group discussions, and collaborative presentations, students will critically engage with key theoretical frameworks, case studies, and real-world policy debates. Weekly readings from leading scholars in ethics and climate policy provide the groundwork for analyzing complex moral and political dilemmas. Students will be encouraged to apply philosophical reasoning to contemporary climate challenges, considering the ethical implications of climate policy design, international climate finance, and emerging technologies.

The course is delivered online over one intensive week and is accessible to undergraduate students from any disciplinary background. It emphasizes critical thinking, dialogue, and cooperative problem-solving.

Course format and schedule

This module is fully online and will run from 17 to 21 November 2025, from 09:00 to 15:00 CET each day.

Download the full programme (pdf)

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to identify and critically assess key ethical principles and arguments relevant to climate justice.

Students will develop the ability to articulate, debate, and defend normative positions on complex climate-related dilemmas in both written and oral formats.

Workload and assessment

The estimated workload for this course is approximately 125 hours, including both individual preparation and group work.

Students will be assessed through a final paper (approx. 3.000 words). The paper should critically engage with one or more course topics and demonstrate analytical depth, clarity of argument, and integration of course materials. The paper is to be submitted within one week of course completion.

Class participation should be at least 70% (active contribution).

Participants  will receive a grade. 

Contact course leader

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