Non-Ideal Theory and Climate Change
Climate change poses severe threats to human and nonhuman life. There has, moreover, been sufficient evidence of it for several decades. However, the response to it from political leaders, and from the public at large, has been unimpressive to say the least. There have been a series of international negotiations – the annual meetings of the Conference of the Parties – and agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. Yet very little has been achieved. The emission of greenhouse gases has continued to rise, and they appear set to rise further. This poses an important question: What should agents do in the face of existing noncompliance and anticipated future noncompliance?
I have defended two kinds of response to non-compliance in my paper:
[1] 'Cosmopolitan Justice, Responsibility, and Global Climate Change', Leiden Journal of International Law vol.18 no.4 (2005), pp.747-775.
This argues that in the face of noncompliance, first, others should make a greater contribution (this might involve some unfairness but that is outweighed by the importance of preventing dangerous climate change). Second, I have argued that we should not treat noncompliance as a given: those with the ability to do so should construct institutions to induce greater compliance in the future (see pp.769 & 771-772).
In a more recent paper, I identify six distinct kinds of response, and compare their merits and demerits.
[2] 'Climate Change and Non-Ideal Theory: Six Ways of Responding to Non-Compliance' in Climate Justice in a Non-Ideal World (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016) edited by Clare Heyward and Dominic Roser, pp.21-42.
In my most recent paper, I set out and defend an account of non-ideal climate justice.
[3] 'The Struggle for Climate Justice in a Non-Ideal World', Midwest Studies in Philosophy: Volume XL “Ethics and Global Climate Change” vol.XL no.1 (2016), pp.9-26.
Putting it into Practice
I am committed to exploring what principles of climate justice entail in practice in our very non-ideal world. As part of this I have written a series of papers and reports on particular topics concerning climate change and climate change policy. My aim in doing so is to integrate philosophical analysis with an understanding of the relevant empirical literatures. As part of this,
[4] I have written a Research Backgrounder on Climate Change, Equity and Stranded Assets for Oxfam America [2016]. This examines who can extract the remaining reserves of fossil fuels that may be used without triggering dangerous climate change, and can be found here.
[5] I have written a background paper on Applying the Principle of Intergenerational Equity to the 2015 Multilateral Processes for the Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Justice [2014]. This examines six proposals for promoting intergenerational equity in the multilateral negotiations concerning climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals.
[6] I was a member of the working party that produced the Nuffield Council on Bioethics report on Biofuels: Ethical Issues (London: Nuffield Council of Bioethics, 2011). This developed and ethical framework and guidelines for the use of biofuels. The report can be found here.
In the same vein, I have written a report on 'Ethics and Climate Change' for the World Bank; and on human rights and technology transfer for the International Council on Human Rights Policy. For more detail on these and other work similar projects see my page on Public Engagements.
I have defended two kinds of response to non-compliance in my paper:
[1] 'Cosmopolitan Justice, Responsibility, and Global Climate Change', Leiden Journal of International Law vol.18 no.4 (2005), pp.747-775.
This argues that in the face of noncompliance, first, others should make a greater contribution (this might involve some unfairness but that is outweighed by the importance of preventing dangerous climate change). Second, I have argued that we should not treat noncompliance as a given: those with the ability to do so should construct institutions to induce greater compliance in the future (see pp.769 & 771-772).
In a more recent paper, I identify six distinct kinds of response, and compare their merits and demerits.
[2] 'Climate Change and Non-Ideal Theory: Six Ways of Responding to Non-Compliance' in Climate Justice in a Non-Ideal World (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016) edited by Clare Heyward and Dominic Roser, pp.21-42.
In my most recent paper, I set out and defend an account of non-ideal climate justice.
[3] 'The Struggle for Climate Justice in a Non-Ideal World', Midwest Studies in Philosophy: Volume XL “Ethics and Global Climate Change” vol.XL no.1 (2016), pp.9-26.
Putting it into Practice
I am committed to exploring what principles of climate justice entail in practice in our very non-ideal world. As part of this I have written a series of papers and reports on particular topics concerning climate change and climate change policy. My aim in doing so is to integrate philosophical analysis with an understanding of the relevant empirical literatures. As part of this,
[4] I have written a Research Backgrounder on Climate Change, Equity and Stranded Assets for Oxfam America [2016]. This examines who can extract the remaining reserves of fossil fuels that may be used without triggering dangerous climate change, and can be found here.
[5] I have written a background paper on Applying the Principle of Intergenerational Equity to the 2015 Multilateral Processes for the Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Justice [2014]. This examines six proposals for promoting intergenerational equity in the multilateral negotiations concerning climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals.
[6] I was a member of the working party that produced the Nuffield Council on Bioethics report on Biofuels: Ethical Issues (London: Nuffield Council of Bioethics, 2011). This developed and ethical framework and guidelines for the use of biofuels. The report can be found here.
In the same vein, I have written a report on 'Ethics and Climate Change' for the World Bank; and on human rights and technology transfer for the International Council on Human Rights Policy. For more detail on these and other work similar projects see my page on Public Engagements.