Environmental Justice (U04403)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : SPS-3-ENVJUS

Climate change is now scientific fact. But what does it mean in terms of political duties? Do the claims of justice of communities vulnerable to natural disasters, pollution or food insecurity, of future generations, even of other species necessitate emissions cuts? If so, who should pay? Past polluters, those benefiting, or those who can afford it? Is it wrong to pay poor countries to take on environmental hazards, or to expose future generations to risks we would not take on ourselves? Given the environmental cost of overpopulation, should we be required to limit how many children we have?

This course will use fundamental ideas in political philosophy to address these questions, and consider what tackling climate change requires in terms of global institutional change.

Entry Requirements

? Special Arrangements for Entry : Special Arrangements for Entry: A quota of 45 students, with preference given in the following order:

(1) Politics Single Honours 4th year;
(2) International Relations Single Honours 4th year;
(3) Politics Joint Honours 4th year;
(4) Politics Single Honours 3rd year;
(5) International Relations Single Honours 3rd year;
(6) Politics Joint Honours 3rd year;
(7) Other SSPS students;
(8) Non-SSPS students

Please note: because of the high numbers of students enrolled, this course will almost certainly not be able to admit students from outside the College of Humanities and Social Science.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Politics and International Relations, (School of Social and Political Science, Schedule J)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
22/09/2008	14:00	14:50	Room G.02, William Robertson Building	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	14:00	14:50	Central

? Additional Class Information : Further weekly one-hour tutorial to be scheduled at the beginning of the course.

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, it is expected that students will:
demonstrate understanding of the main viewpoints in the environmental justice debate, and be able critically to evaluate these views
appreciate the distinction between the different underlying moral and political theories and grasp the unique moral challenges posed by climate change and population growth
apply these theoretical tools to draw their own conclusions regarding our individual and collective duties, and their institutional implications