Welcome
The Epistemology of Climate Change research group investigates the philosophy of science and ethical/normative dimensions of the climate and environmental challenges.
Our focus includes the epistemic and methodological foundations of climate (and Earth system) science and modelling, in particular in relation to climate change adaptation, extreme events and tipping points in natural and social systems––with special attention to the value-laden and (in)justice related dimensions in these contexts. More
More broadly, we are interested in addressing these issues in the Anthropocene perspective, where climate change is understood as one aspect of a larger story involving disruptive human interferences in fundamental, life support planetary processes.
Consult our publications and annotated bibliography.
We have been funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) since 2019 and are hosted at the Institute of Philosophy of the University of Bern and the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research. At the international level, we are contributing to the My Climate Risk Lighthouse Activity of the World Climate Research Programme, in particular through its Philosophy Working Group.
News
Workshop in Bern
Vincent Lam is one of the converners of the workshop on Opening up Earth Observations for Climate Adaptation at the International Space Science Institute in Bern (8-12 December 2025).
PhD position
Together with Claus Beisbart, we are advertising a PhD position (start: 1 February 2026) within the project Is More Always Better? The Future of Climate Change Science, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Talk in Lugano
Vincent Lam will give a talk on Modelling the Anthropocene and its Boundaries at the Università della Svizzera italiana.
Workshop at the University of Florence
Vincent Lam has been invited at the workshop Climate change and nuclear energy: modeling activities in times of emergency at the University of Florence (7 April 2025).