Title: The Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change: Why Does It Matter and What Are The Issues?
1- The Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change Why
Does It Matter and What Are The Issues? - Donald A. Brown,
- Associate Professor of Environmental Ethics,
Science, and Law - Penn State University
- Email dab57_at_psu.edu
- http//rockethics.psu.edu
- http//climateethics.org
- Fordham Law School,
- April 20, 2010
2Goals
- Why is climate change an ethical and moral issue?
- What is the significance of climate being an
ethical issue? - What are the major ethical issues entailed by
climate change?
3Link between science and ethics and morality
- Climate change is a problem where some people are
putting others, future generations, and
ecological systems at risk. - Science can tell us who is causing the problem
and whose, what, when, and where harms will be
experienced and what are the available solutions.
- If we get the science wrong about these matters,
we may get the ethics wrong.
4Climate Change Ethics
- Ethics - the domain of inquiry that examines
statements about what is bad or good, obligatory
or non-obligatory, or when duties attach to human
actions - Basis for ethical positions
-
- Religion
- Anthropocentric
- Utilitarian and other consequentiality
- Relationship based ethics
- Virtue
- Rights based or other duty based
- Distributive and other theories of justice
- Non-anthropocentric
- Biocentric
- Ecocentric
conflict
Remove some proposals
Overlapping Consensus
5Why Is Climate Change An Ethical Question?
Makes this happen here
This here
Questions of Damage Responsibility
Distributive Justice Welfare Maximization
Procedural Justice Human Rights
6Why are ethical questions more salient at the
global scale?
The Consequences Are Potentially Catastrophic
7Global Humanitarian Forum, MAY 2009
- Climate changer already is killing 300, 000 per
year - Will be responsible for 500,000 deaths per year
by 2030 - 4 billion at risk from climate change now and 500
million at extreme risk now - If climate change is not gotten under control
within 25 years, 250 million will have health
related problems.
8Climate Change and Agriculture
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10Glacier Dependent Rivers in Asia
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12Climate Change And Drought
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14Vulnerability to Drought Exposure Sensitivity
Frequency
Mortality
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16Some countries are experiencing drought and
desertification.
17Climate Change and Desertification