Energy and Climate Change: Science, Policy, and Ethics

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

This course focuses on the inseparable links between energy use and climate change, and the complex scientific/technical, economic, political, and moral questions they raise. The course is truly multi-disciplinary, using each of these intersecting perspectives to help understand, problematize, and generate solutions for how to transform our energy systems and help mitigate climate change. We will assess the current state of energy production, distribution, storage, and usage, as well as the technological horizon. We will investigate the political and economic landscape of energy transitions, including a look at novel financial and policy instruments. We will also scrutinize how to go about making public policy that incorporates scientific, economic, and political realities, but which is also sensitive to relevant moral values and considerations of justice.

Study materials

Other

• Study materials will be made available via Canvas

Objectives

• Students can analyze the multi-disciplinary dimensions involved in transforming energy systems and mitigating climate change (problems which sit at the intersection of science, public policy, and ethics).
• Students can assess the technological, economic, moral, and political obstacles that need to be overcome to achieve a just and sustainable energy system.
• Students can identify and analyze broader challenges facing sustainable development and the transition towards a just and sustainable world.
• Students can compare and evaluate the entities (individuals, corporations, NGOs and governments) relevant to implementing sustainable energy solutions and addressing climate change.
• Students can critically assess the role that values and justice considerations (ought to) play in policymaking.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Self-study
• Presentation/symposium
• Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
• Seminar

The course consists of a series of lectures/seminars, in which students are expected to play an active role (i.e., having done the reading, considered it carefully, and being prepared to engage thoughtfully with your peers). You will also work independently to prepare an individual project and group project.

Learning activities

Attendance

Additional requirements for this course:

Attendance is required and will be taken each session. The course involves significant discussion and depends on everyone's active engagement to work. Students can miss two seminars without formal penalty. Beyond that, however, you will lose 1.0 point from your overall course grade per additional absence (e.g., from 8 to 7), regardless of the reason.

Assessment

Late Penalties:

• Weekly reflection assignments will not be accepted after the deadline.
• Missing an interim deadline, without prior permission, for the individual project (i.e., not preparing an outline for exchange, or submitting your draft or peer feedback late) will result in a .5 point penalty from the overall assignment grade (e.g., from 8 to 7.5). If you fail entirely to submit a draft or peer feedback on a draft you received, the penalty will be 1.0 point.
• Missing the final deadline, without prior permission, for the individual project (i.e., Dec. 17th at 17:00) will result in a 1.0 point penalty from the overall assignment grade (e.g., 8 to 7) for each day past the deadline (including weekends, if applicable). So please back up your work frequently and don't leave submission until the last minute.

If you are facing significant challenges, talk to me and we will see if we can find a solution.

There are, however, no extensions possible for the group project.

Assignments

Weekly Reflection Assignments (pass/fail):

• For each seminar, I will supply a brief prompt related to the material for you to reflect on.
• Reflections should be short (~300 words).
• Students must submit one reflection per week (6 in total). You may choose which of that week’s seminars you decide to do the reflection on.
• Reflections are anytime before the class with that prompt/material starts.
• Individual reflections will be graded pass/fail. For every pass, students will receive 1pt (unless a late penalty applies). Students need to accumulate at least 6 total points to pass the overall weekly reflection assignment component. You still need to submit one per week, even if you achieve 6pts earlier in the semester. If you miss a week, you will lose 1pt, which means you will have to do two extra reflections to make up for it.

Energy Modeling Assignment (20% of final grade):

• After the first energy systems modeling module (Oct. 29), you will receive a short practical assignment that must be submitted before the second module (Nov. 12).
• Complete instructions will be posted on Canvas.

Individual Project (40% of final grade):

• Throughout the semester, students will produce an individual project critically analyzing different aspects and spatial scales of the energy transition.
• The project will involve both written and visual components, and it will be developed in stages with peer feedback. You will exchange outlines (done in class) and drafts (done outside of class) with your classmates.
• In total, it will involve about 2,000 words of carefully argued writing, and at least two accompanying visuals.
• The final draft of the individual project is due at 17:00 on Weds, December 17th.
  • More guidance on the projects (and how to succeed) will be posted on Canvas.

Group Project (40% of final grade):

• The group project involves two main components, both due on December 12th (no extensions possible).
  1. As a group, you will choose from a select range of topics, perform a brief literature review, and produce a (publication-quality) critical analysis.
  2. On the basis of this research, each group will produce a ~10-minute presentation, after which the group will face questions and engage in discussion with the class. (Exact group size and presentation length will be determined by total enrollment.)
• Everyone must also submit a final short individual reflection (pass/fail) about a) how your own group project went and b) what you learned from your classmates’ presentations.
  • To be completed on a worksheet during the presentations.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Additional information

While most of the participating students are likely to have done prior studies in the natural, earth, or environmental sciences, it is not required (readings and lectures will provide the necessary background). As such, the course is also open to students from, e.g., political/social sciences, business/economics, etc. who are interested in issues of energy and climate change.

You are expected to have general skills reading and analyzing texts, understanding concepts and theories, reasoning logically, and writing and communicating clearly.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Colin Hickey PhD