Justice & Climate
Abstract
Climate impacts such as increasingly frequent and severe droughts, floods, and hurricanes raise significant costs, which must be fairly allocated both nationally and internationally. Similarly, climate policies aimed at mitigating global emissions and adapting to these impacts also come with costs that need to be shared equitably. A central question of climate justice is: Who should be responsible for what, and how should these responsibilities be fulfilled? In this presentation, I will explore key aspects of this question, highlighting the roles and duties of both individual and collective agents. Additionally, I will share insights on teaching climate justice, with a focus on the rising issue of eco-anxiety and strategies for addressing it through effective classroom communication.
Bio
Michel Bourban is Assistant Professor of Environmental Ethics in the Philosophy Section at the University of Twente. His research in moral and political philosophy, titled “Extending Justice and Citizenship”, focuses on clarifying the demands of justice and citizenship in the face of global environmental change. It also explores how these demands can inform just institutional reforms, steer responsible technological innovation, and encourage pro-environmental behaviour. He is actively involved in several research projects, including the Horizon Re4Green project, which provides a research and innovation framework to address overlapping issues in environmental, climate, and research ethics in the context of the European Green Deal. Additionally, he contributes to the Planetary Justice and Energy Transition Technologies; research project, which aims to strengthen the normative foundations of the planetary justice framework and apply this framework to the energy transition. More details are available on his website: https://www.michelbourban.com.