I. ASCRC General Education Form
Group
VIII Ethics and Human Values
Dept/Program
Society and Conservation
Course #
NRSM449/EN
ST 449/
CCS449
Course Title
Prerequisite
Climate Change Ethics and Policy
None
Credits
3
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Dane Scott
243-6632/
dane.scott@mso.umt.edu
Program Chair
Steve Running
Dean
James Burchfield
III. Description and purpose of the course: General Education courses must be introductory
and foundational. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/gened/GEPreamble_final.htm
Instructor
Phone / Email
This course focuses on the ethical dimensions of climate change policy. It will first cover classical
theories of justice and moral reasoning and then relate them to the following major topics: (1) climate
change mitigation policies and distributive justice, this includes questions of intergenerational justice
and global justice, (2) moral reasoning, justice and scientific uncertainty, (3) environmental ethics and
climate change policy. This course presupposes no philosophical background. It will cover basic
theories of justice with their origins in virtue theory, deontological ethics, utilitarianism, and
libertarianism, and then use them to discuss climate change policy disputes.
IV. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
This course focuses on basic ethical issues of justice
as they apply to climate change policy. Climate
change policies present classic questions of
distributive justice. In order to discuss the ethical
dimensions of global climate change, students must
first study the ethical theories that form the basis of
moral reasoning about distributive justice. As noted
above, students will become familiar with the major
Western ethical traditions, virtue theory,
deontological ethics, utilitarianism, and
libertarianism.
V. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Upon completion of Climate Change Ethics and
Policy, students will be able to correctly apply basic
concepts and forms of reasoning from major ethical
theories and moral reasoning in the Western tradition
focusing on issues of distributive justice. Students
will be able to analyze and critically evaluate basic
concepts in theories about distributive justice,
intergenerational justice and risk and responsibility.
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form.  The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
Climate Change Ethics and Policy
NRSM 449/EVST 449/CCS 449
Instructor: Dane Scott
Office: Mansfield Center. MLIB 464
Phone: 243-6632
Email: dane.scott@mso.umt.edu
Office hours: TTR 3:00-4:00
Goal:
 For students to understand the central concepts of Western ethical theories and be able to relate
them to climate change policies.
Objectives:
 Demonstrate a basic understanding of various concepts and ethical theories of justice and
fairness.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of justice in deliberations aimed at:
(1) Mitigating green house gases (GHG)
(2) Adapting to the consequences of global climate change
(3) Reducing the impacts of climate change through geoengineering.
 Deliberate with other students to create an online document that contains a well-written, and
well-supported argument that reaches a carefully considered conclusion on a specific aspect of
climate change policy.
 Become adept at using Mediawiki to create online documents.
Texts:
 Michael Sandel, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?
 Stephan Gardiner, et al, Climate Ethics: Essential Readings (CE)
 Stephen H. Schneider, et al., Eds. Climate Change Science and Policy, A Survey (2009) (CCSP)
Tests & Assignments:
 Two tests on basic concepts and theories of justice and climate change (40 %)
 Attendance and participation, overall engagement in course (10%)
 10-minute presentation of research topic (10%)
 Online Deliberation Center (ODC) project (40%)
 Alternative Assignment: Critical book review (10%): Students will write a critical book review
of a recent work on climate change ethics and policy. Book reviews are to be around 2-3 pages.
Research paper (30 %): The research papers will be approximately 2,100 words (8 pages).

Schedule
Week 1
8/30: Introduction
9/1: Mastrandrea & Schneider, “Climate Science Overview (CCSP)
Watson & Aquino “The Road Forward” (CCSP)
Week 2
9/6: Sandel, Chapter 1, “Do the Right Thing” (J)
Baer & Sagar, “Ethics, Rights, and Responsibilities,” (CCSP)
9/8: Gardiner, “Ethics and Global Climate Change” (CE)
Week 3:
9/13: Shue, “Global Environment and International Inequality” (CE)
Sathaye, “Developing Country Perspective” (CCSP)
9/15: Sandel, Chapter 2, “The Greatest Happiness Principle / Utilitarianism”
Week 4:
9/20: Singer, “One Atmosphere” (CE)
9/22: Sandel, Chapter 3, “Do We Own Ourselves / Libertarianism”
“National Policy” (CCSP)
Week 5
9/27: Sandel, Chapter 4, “”Hired Help / Markets and Morals”
Goodin, “Selling Environmental Indulgences” (CE)
9/29: Scott, “Debating Science: Ethics Education and Deliberation”
Bendick, et al. “Choosing Carbon Mitigation Strategies Using Ethical Deliberation”
Week 6
10/4: Sandel, Chapter 5, “What Matters is the Motive / Immanuel Kant”
10/6: Caney, “Climate Change, Human Rights and Moral Thresholds” (CE)
Week 7
10/11: Sandel, Chapter 6, “The Case for Equity / John Rawls”
10/13: Sandel, Chapter 8, “Who Deserves What / Aristotle”
Week 8
10/18: Jamieson, “When Utilitarians should be Virtue Theorists” (CE)
10/20: Test #1
Week 9
10/25: Sandel, Chapter 9, “What do We Owe One Another? / Dilemmas of Loyalty” & Sandel, Chapter
10, “Justice and the Common Good”
10/27: Caney, “Cosmopolitan Justice, Responsibility, and Global Climate Change” (CE)
Week 10
11/1: Schneider & Mastrandrea, “Risk, Uncertainty, and Assessing Dangerous Climate Change” (CCSP)
11/3: Shue, “Deadly Delays, Saving Opportunities: Creating a More Dangerous World?” (CE)
Week 11
11/8: Gardiner, “A Perfect Moral Storm: Climate Change, Intergenerational Ethics, and the Problem of
Moral Corruption” (CE)
Anthony Leiserowitz, “Risk Perception and Behavior,” (CCSP)
11/10: Film: TBA
Week 12
11/15: Bear, et al. “Greenhouse Gas Development Rights” (CE)
11/17: Shue, “Subsistence Emissions and Luxury Emissions” (CE)
Week 13
11/22: Bear, “Adaptation to Climate Change: Who Pays Whom? (CE)
Paavola & Adger, “Fair Adaptation to Climate Change”
Week 14
11/29: Root & Goldsmith, “Wild Species Extinction” (CCSP)
Minteer, “Move it or lose it? The Ecological Ethics of Relocating Species under Climate Change”
12/1: Keith, “Engineering the Planet” (CCSP)
Robock, “20 Reasons Why Geoengineering is a Bad Idea”
Research Projects Due
Week 15
12/6: Jamison, “Ethics and Intentional Climate Change”
12/8: Gardiner, “Is “Arming the Future” with Geoengineering Really the Lesser of Two Evils” (CE)
Week 16 (Finals)
Test #2
*Please note: As an instructor of a general education course, you will be expected to provide
sample assessment items and corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.