PhD Studentship: Permissible Population Policy as a Means of Averting Harmful Climate Change University of Essex in United Kingdom

[Home tuition fee waiver. Living costs stipend at the UK Research and Innovation recommended level per year (£20,780 for 2025-26). Research allowance of £10,000 in total for authorised research costs. Proficio support of £2,500 for training courses.]

The University of Essex invites applications for a PhD Studentship under the ‘Sustainable Transitions – Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme’. This interdisciplinary project investigates the impact of global population size and structure on climate change, focusing on the development and evaluation of morally defensible national and global population policies that could contribute to climate change mitigation. The research will combine normative and empirical scholarship, advancing work in ethics and political philosophy to define the moral goals and constraints guiding population policies, while also drawing on demography and climate science to assess their empirical impact.

Population policies are only permissible if their goals justify the burdens imposed and do not violate individual rights, with their effectiveness dependent on empirical evidence regarding their impact on climate change. The project’s interdisciplinary nature requires exploration of both moral and empirical claims, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to policy debates at the intersection of ethics, political science, and environmental science.

As a doctoral scholar, you will benefit from the Sustainable Transitions training programme, which provides initial and ongoing training in interdisciplinary research methods and secondary disciplines relevant to the project. Proficio support entitles you to £2,500 for training courses, and Sustainable Transitions scholars receive a £10,000 research allowance for authorised research costs. You are encouraged to audit relevant masters and degree-level courses, and will have access to the Centre for Environment and Society for events and networking.

This studentship is ideal for candidates with a background in international relations, political science, political economy, public policy, or political theory, and a strong foundation in political theory, ethics, or normative political philosophy. Interest in climate change and population policy is essential, and further training in healthcare, educational policy, or population science can be provided as needed. The project area is broadly defined, allowing you to develop your own specific research proposal in consultation with your supervisory team.

Funding includes a home tuition fee waiver, a living costs stipend at the UK Research and Innovation recommended level (£20,780 for 2025-26), and a research allowance of £10,000. The application deadline is 13 April 2026. For more information and to apply, visit the University of Essex postgraduate research opportunities portal.