700.653.01
Climate Change and Health: Bioethics Perspectives

Location
East Baltimore
Term
3rd Term
Department
Berman Institute (Bioethics)
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2024 - 2025
Instruction Method
In-person
Class Time(s)
Tuesday, 3:30 - 6:20pm
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Maria Merritt
Contact Name
Maria Merritt
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Description
Climate change is a major and growing concern for the health of people and the planet, globally and locally. When you think about climate change and health, do you wonder about questions of justice, rights, and well-being? Can the conceptual resources of bioethics help to clarify our thinking and inform our deliberations about what to do in the face of climate change? Do health practitioners and researchers have distinctive responsibilities in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation?
Explores themes of climate change and health from multiple bioethics standpoints including public health ethics, healthcare ethics, and research ethics. Because the relevant bioethics literature is dynamic and continually evolving, course topics may vary and range widely over time. Likely central topics include justice in the greening of health systems, tensions between sustainability and other values in healthcare ethics, and community involvement in the conduct of research on climate change and health.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Identify issues of bioethics related to the impacts of climate change upon health.
  2. Identify issues of bioethics related to the possible range of responsibilities that health practitioners and researchers may have regarding societal mitigation and adaptation efforts.
  3. Analyze identified bioethics issues regarding climate change and health from the standpoints of public health ethics, healthcare ethics, and research ethics.
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
  • 5% Participation
  • 25% Discussion
  • 40% Final Paper
  • 30% Presentation(s)
Enrollment Restriction
Course is restricted to students in Bioethics degree programs (MBE, PhD)
Instructor Consent
No consent required
Special Comments

Optional attendance (in-person or virtual) at part of a climate-and-health themed event in Washington, DC, to be identified by instructor.