Students are introduced to the concept of sustainability with a focus on its ethical implications, such as the question of whether or why present generations have a moral obligation towards future generations. The course provides basic knowledge of key ethical theories, especially utilitarianism and Kant’s categorical imperative. Students reflect upon their own position regarding the “value” of nature and use this reflection to inform their analysis of the central lines of argumentation within environmental ethics, anthropocentrism, and varieties of physiocentrism.
The course also gives students an understanding of the concept of sustainability, its historical background and its current controversies, such as the concepts of “weak” and “strong” sustainability. Ethical questions that arise in the context of sustainability are discussed, with special focus on the climate change debate. Based on this theoretical background, students apply the concept of sustainability in various fields, such as the just allocation of CO2-emissions, the sustainable use of biofuel, carbon offsets and sustainable consumption.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
• Draw the connection between ethics and sustainability.
• Analyze and compare the key ethical theories.
• Reflect upon their own positions regarding the “value” of nature on the basis of their knowledge of the two opposing viewpoints in environmental ethics: anthropocentrism and physiocentrism.
• Scrutinize the concept of responsibility including the problem of collective versus individual
responsibility.
• Describe the principle of sustainability, including the controversy of weak and strong sustainability.
• Apply the principle of sustainability to various fields.
• Assess the ethical implications of climate change.
Method of presentation:
Lectures, group work, small group student presentations, discussion
Required work and form of assessment:
Compulsory attendance at and participation in all lectures (10%); oral presentation of assigned topics in small groups (30%) written summary of the oral group presentation (20%); and a final exam (40%).
content:
Week 1
Monday: Welcome and introduction to the course / assignment of group work to different topics
(see Week 3) / historical introduction to sustainability
Reading: Engfeldt, Lars-Göran 2002
Tuesday: Introduction to ethics / ethical theories / morals and ethics / Kant’s three dimensions of the practical reason / why is sustainability an ethical concept?
Reading: Text written by the instructor
Wednesday: Future ethics - Are there moral obligations to future generations?
Reading: Ott, K. (2004): Chapter 3-4
Thursday: Environmental ethics: anthropocentrism and physiocentrism
Reading: Krebs, A. (1999): p.1-4;19-26;65-68; 133-138
Friday: The concept of responsibility / collective and individual responsibility
Reading: Lenk and Maring (2000), P. 93-108.
Week 2:
Monday: Three different strategies of sustainability: efficiency, sufficiency, consistency / sustainable lifestyle
Reading: Huber, J. (2000), p. 275-283 (Chapter: Transformational strategies for a sustainable development)
Tuesday: Weak and strong sustainability / natural resources
Reading: Ekins (2009): Chapter 2-3; Ott, K. (2008), p.2-9
Wednesday: Preparatory meetings for the group presentations
Reading: according to the chosen topic
Week 3:
Monday: Distributive justice and climate change. The allocation of emission rights part 1:
greenhouse development rights framework; contraction and convergence
Reading: Baer, P. et al. (2007), p.14-25 (executive summary), WBGU (2003), Chapter
2.3.1; 2.3.2; 3.2; 3.3; 5.2; 6.2
Tuesday: Distributive justice and climate change. The allocation of emission rights part 2: the
WBGU-Budget-approach
Reading: WBGU (2009): Chapter 5, p. 21-40. Solving the climate dilemma. The budget approach - special report (2009)
Wednesday: Presentation of groups 1 and 2 (allocation of CO2-emissions / sustainable use of biofuel) Thursday: Presentation of groups 3 and 4 (carbon offsetting / ethical consumption and sustainable
lifestyle)
Friday: Final exam
Required readings:
Baer, Paul; Athanasiou, Tom; Kartha, Sivan (2007): The Greenhouse Development Rights Framework.
The right to development in a climate constrained world. Berlin: Heinrich Böll Foundation
(Publication series on ecology, Vol. 1).
Döring, Ralf (2009): Sustainability, Natural Capital and Nature Conservation. 1. Aufl. Marburg: Metropolis (Beiträge zur Theorie und Praxis starker Nachhaltigkeit, 3).
Ekins, Paul (2009): The Practical Application of the Concept of Critical Natural Capital and Strong
Sustainability. In: Ralf Döring (Hg.): Sustainability, natural capital and nature conservation. 1. Aufl. Marburg: Metropolis (Beiträge zur Theorie und Praxis starker Nachhaltigkeit, 3), S. 95–122.
Füssel, Hans-Martin (2008): Who is Most Affected by the Iimpacts of Climate Change? In: Redaktion
"welt-sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special
Issue of the project "Climate change and justice". 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S. 7–8.
Huber, Joseph (2000): Towards Industrial Ecology: Sustainable Development as a Concept of Ecological
Modernization. In: Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning (Bd Vol. 2/is), S. 269–285.
IPCC (2008): Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to
the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Hg. v. Pachauri R.K and Reisinger A. (eds.) Core Writing Team. IPCC. Geneva.
Krebs, Angelika; Williams, Bernard (1999): Ethics of Nature: A Map. Berlin: de Gruyter (Perspektiven der analytischen Philosophie, 22).
Lenk, Hans; Maring, Matthias (2000): Responsibility and Technology. In: Ann Elisabeth Auhagen und
Hans-Werner Bierhoff (Hg.): Responsibility. The Many Faces of a Social Phenomenon. London: Routledge, S. 93–108.
Loster, Thomas (2008): Poor People are the Real Losers. In: Redaktion "welt-sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special Issue of the project "Climate
change and justice." 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S. 5–6.
Narain, Sunita (2010): Keine gemeinsame Teilhabe an der Welt. APuZ 32-33/2010, S.3-7.(englische
Version unter dem Titel : „Climate Change: Not Sharing the World“ verfügbar) .
Ott, Konrad (2004): Essential Components of Future Ethics. In: Döring, R., Rühs, M. (Hg.): Ökonomische Rationalität und praktische Vernunft. Gerechtigkeit, Ökologische Ökonomie und Naturschutz. Würzburg: Königshausen und Neumann, S. 83–110.
Ott, Konrad (2008): Strong Sustainability and Environmental Policy: Justification and Implementation.
In: C. L. Soskolne, Colin L. Soskolne und Laura Westra (Hg.): Sustaining Life on Earth - Environmental and Human Health through Global Governance. Environmental and human health
through global governance. Plymoth /// Lanham: Lexington Books, S. 109–123.
Wallacher, Johannes; Reder, Michael (2008): Principles of Justice - Climate Negotiations Need an Ethical Concept. In: Redaktion "welt-sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special Issue of the project "Climate change and justice." 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S.
12-13.
Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (Germany) (2003): Climate Protection Strategies for the 21st century. Kyoto and Beyond : Special Report. Berlin: German Advisory Council on Global Change.
Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (Germany) (2009): Solving the Climate Dilemma: The Budget Approach : Special Report (2009). Berlin. Online verfügbar unter http://www.wbgu.de/wbgu_sn2009_en.html[3].
Recommended readings:
Edenhofer, Ottmar; Lotze-Campen, Hermann (2008): Emissions Must Have a Price. In: Redaktion "welt- sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special Issue of the project "Climate change and justice." 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S. 9–11.
Meyer, Lucas R.; Roser, Dominic (2006): Distributive Justice and Climate Change. The Allocation of
Emission Rights. In: Analyse & Kritik (28), S. 223–249.
Ott, Konrad (2009): On Substantiating the Conception of Strong Sustainability. In: Ralf Döring (Hg.): Sustainability, natural capital and nature conservation. 1. Aufl. Marburg: Metropolis (Beiträge zur
Theorie und Praxis starker Nachhaltigkeit, 3).
Sachs, Wolfgang (2004): Renewable Energies as a Matter of Equity Between North and South. In: Joachim Bücheler (Hg.): Praktische Visionen. Festschrift zum 60. Geburtstag von Hermann Scheer. Bochum: Ponte Press, S. 86–88.
Schultz, Julia; Brand, Fridolin; Kopfmuller, Jürgen; Ott, Konrad: Building a 'Theory of Sustainable Development': Two Salient Conceptions within the German Discourse. International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development - Vol. 7, No.4 pp. 465 - 482.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Magdalena Steiner is a specialist in the field of sustainability and ethics. She studied geography/hydrology in Freiburg and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kiel, Germany. She worked as a research associate in different transdisciplinary projects and institutions, amongst others at the Center for Technology Assesment of Baden-Württemberg, where she contributed to several sustainability studies. From 2005 to 2010 she has been working at the Center for Basic Studies in Ethics and Philosophy at the University of Freiburg, where she taught seminars and lectures on Ethics, Sustainability, Climate Change and Justice. Currently she is teaching bachelor degree students at the Center for Key Qualifications of the University of Freiburg as well as master-level students at the Center for Renewable Energy at the University of Freiburg. Her research areas focus on the ethical aspects of sustainability and climate change.
Ethics And Sustainability
Students are introduced to the concept of sustainability with a focus on its ethical implications, such as the question of whether or why present generations have a moral obligation towards future generations. The course provides basic knowledge of key ethical theories, especially utilitarianism and Kant’s categorical imperative. Students reflect upon their own position regarding the “value” of nature and use this reflection to inform their analysis of the central lines of argumentation within environmental ethics, anthropocentrism, and varieties of physiocentrism.
The course also gives students an understanding of the concept of sustainability, its historical background and its current controversies, such as the concepts of “weak” and “strong” sustainability. Ethical questions that arise in the context of sustainability are discussed, with special focus on the climate change debate. Based on this theoretical background, students apply the concept of sustainability in various fields, such as the just allocation of CO2-emissions, the sustainable use of biofuel, carbon offsets and sustainable consumption.
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
• Draw the connection between ethics and sustainability.
• Analyze and compare the key ethical theories.
• Reflect upon their own positions regarding the “value” of nature on the basis of their knowledge of the two opposing viewpoints in environmental ethics: anthropocentrism and physiocentrism.
• Scrutinize the concept of responsibility including the problem of collective versus individual
responsibility.
• Describe the principle of sustainability, including the controversy of weak and strong sustainability.
• Apply the principle of sustainability to various fields.
• Assess the ethical implications of climate change.
Lectures, group work, small group student presentations, discussion
Compulsory attendance at and participation in all lectures (10%); oral presentation of assigned topics in small groups (30%) written summary of the oral group presentation (20%); and a final exam (40%).
Week 1
Monday: Welcome and introduction to the course / assignment of group work to different topics
(see Week 3) / historical introduction to sustainability
Reading: Engfeldt, Lars-Göran 2002
Tuesday: Introduction to ethics / ethical theories / morals and ethics / Kant’s three dimensions of the practical reason / why is sustainability an ethical concept?
Reading: Text written by the instructor
Wednesday: Future ethics - Are there moral obligations to future generations?
Reading: Ott, K. (2004): Chapter 3-4
Thursday: Environmental ethics: anthropocentrism and physiocentrism
Reading: Krebs, A. (1999): p.1-4;19-26;65-68; 133-138
Friday: The concept of responsibility / collective and individual responsibility
Reading: Lenk and Maring (2000), P. 93-108.
Week 2:
Monday: Three different strategies of sustainability: efficiency, sufficiency, consistency / sustainable lifestyle
Reading: Huber, J. (2000), p. 275-283 (Chapter: Transformational strategies for a sustainable development)
Tuesday: Weak and strong sustainability / natural resources
Reading: Ekins (2009): Chapter 2-3; Ott, K. (2008), p.2-9
Wednesday: Preparatory meetings for the group presentations
Reading: according to the chosen topic
Thursday: Climate change and justice: introduction / scientific background
Reading: IPCC (2008): Synthesis Report – Summary for Policy Makers, Chapter 1-3, p.1-
14)
Friday: Climate change and justice: ethical concerns / political background
Reading: Füssel 2008 p.7-8; Loster 2008, p.5-6; Wallacher & Reder 2008, p.12-13. Narain
2010, p.3-7 (english version)
Week 3:
Monday: Distributive justice and climate change. The allocation of emission rights part 1:
greenhouse development rights framework; contraction and convergence
Reading: Baer, P. et al. (2007), p.14-25 (executive summary), WBGU (2003), Chapter
2.3.1; 2.3.2; 3.2; 3.3; 5.2; 6.2
Tuesday: Distributive justice and climate change. The allocation of emission rights part 2: the
WBGU-Budget-approach
Reading: WBGU (2009): Chapter 5, p. 21-40. Solving the climate dilemma. The budget approach - special report (2009)
Wednesday: Presentation of groups 1 and 2 (allocation of CO2-emissions / sustainable use of biofuel) Thursday: Presentation of groups 3 and 4 (carbon offsetting / ethical consumption and sustainable
lifestyle)
Friday: Final exam
Baer, Paul; Athanasiou, Tom; Kartha, Sivan (2007): The Greenhouse Development Rights Framework.
The right to development in a climate constrained world. Berlin: Heinrich Böll Foundation
(Publication series on ecology, Vol. 1).
Döring, Ralf (2009): Sustainability, Natural Capital and Nature Conservation. 1. Aufl. Marburg: Metropolis (Beiträge zur Theorie und Praxis starker Nachhaltigkeit, 3).
Ekins, Paul (2009): The Practical Application of the Concept of Critical Natural Capital and Strong
Sustainability. In: Ralf Döring (Hg.): Sustainability, natural capital and nature conservation. 1. Aufl. Marburg: Metropolis (Beiträge zur Theorie und Praxis starker Nachhaltigkeit, 3), S. 95–122.
Engfeldt, Lars-Göran (2008): Chronicle Essay The Road from Stockholm to Johannesburg. Engfeldt,
www.thefreelibrary.com/The+road+from+Stockholm+to+Johannesburg.+ [2](Essay).-a093211725
Füssel, Hans-Martin (2008): Who is Most Affected by the Iimpacts of Climate Change? In: Redaktion
"welt-sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special
Issue of the project "Climate change and justice". 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S. 7–8.
Huber, Joseph (2000): Towards Industrial Ecology: Sustainable Development as a Concept of Ecological
Modernization. In: Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning (Bd Vol. 2/is), S. 269–285.
IPCC (2008): Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to
the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Hg. v. Pachauri R.K and Reisinger A. (eds.) Core Writing Team. IPCC. Geneva.
Krebs, Angelika; Williams, Bernard (1999): Ethics of Nature: A Map. Berlin: de Gruyter (Perspektiven der analytischen Philosophie, 22).
Lenk, Hans; Maring, Matthias (2000): Responsibility and Technology. In: Ann Elisabeth Auhagen und
Hans-Werner Bierhoff (Hg.): Responsibility. The Many Faces of a Social Phenomenon. London: Routledge, S. 93–108.
Loster, Thomas (2008): Poor People are the Real Losers. In: Redaktion "welt-sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special Issue of the project "Climate
change and justice." 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S. 5–6.
Narain, Sunita (2010): Keine gemeinsame Teilhabe an der Welt. APuZ 32-33/2010, S.3-7.(englische
Version unter dem Titel : „Climate Change: Not Sharing the World“ verfügbar) .
Ott, Konrad (2004): Essential Components of Future Ethics. In: Döring, R., Rühs, M. (Hg.): Ökonomische Rationalität und praktische Vernunft. Gerechtigkeit, Ökologische Ökonomie und Naturschutz. Würzburg: Königshausen und Neumann, S. 83–110.
Ott, Konrad (2008): Strong Sustainability and Environmental Policy: Justification and Implementation.
In: C. L. Soskolne, Colin L. Soskolne und Laura Westra (Hg.): Sustaining Life on Earth - Environmental and Human Health through Global Governance. Environmental and human health
through global governance. Plymoth /// Lanham: Lexington Books, S. 109–123.
Wallacher, Johannes; Reder, Michael (2008): Principles of Justice - Climate Negotiations Need an Ethical Concept. In: Redaktion "welt-sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special Issue of the project "Climate change and justice." 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S.
12-13.
Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (Germany) (2003): Climate Protection Strategies for the 21st century. Kyoto and Beyond : Special Report. Berlin: German Advisory Council on Global Change.
Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (Germany) (2009): Solving the Climate Dilemma: The Budget Approach : Special Report (2009). Berlin. Online verfügbar unter http://www.wbgu.de/wbgu_sn2009_en.html [3].
Edenhofer, Ottmar; Lotze-Campen, Hermann (2008): Emissions Must Have a Price. In: Redaktion "welt- sichten" (Hg.): Climate change and poverty. A challenge for a fair world policy. Special Issue of the project "Climate change and justice." 5 Dossier. Frankfurt, S. 9–11.
Meyer, Lucas R.; Roser, Dominic (2006): Distributive Justice and Climate Change. The Allocation of
Emission Rights. In: Analyse & Kritik (28), S. 223–249.
Ott, Konrad (2009): On Substantiating the Conception of Strong Sustainability. In: Ralf Döring (Hg.): Sustainability, natural capital and nature conservation. 1. Aufl. Marburg: Metropolis (Beiträge zur
Theorie und Praxis starker Nachhaltigkeit, 3).
Sachs, Wolfgang (2004): Renewable Energies as a Matter of Equity Between North and South. In: Joachim Bücheler (Hg.): Praktische Visionen. Festschrift zum 60. Geburtstag von Hermann Scheer. Bochum: Ponte Press, S. 86–88.
Schultz, Julia; Brand, Fridolin; Kopfmuller, Jürgen; Ott, Konrad: Building a 'Theory of Sustainable Development': Two Salient Conceptions within the German Discourse. International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development - Vol. 7, No.4 pp. 465 - 482.
Magdalena Steiner is a specialist in the field of sustainability and ethics. She studied geography/hydrology in Freiburg and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kiel, Germany. She worked as a research associate in different transdisciplinary projects and institutions, amongst others at the Center for Technology Assesment of Baden-Württemberg, where she contributed to several sustainability studies. From 2005 to 2010 she has been working at the Center for Basic Studies in Ethics and Philosophy at the University of Freiburg, where she taught seminars and lectures on Ethics, Sustainability, Climate Change and Justice. Currently she is teaching bachelor degree students at the Center for Key Qualifications of the University of Freiburg as well as master-level students at the Center for Renewable Energy at the University of Freiburg. Her research areas focus on the ethical aspects of sustainability and climate change.