Module IV·Article II·~1 min read
Climate Policy: Justice, Sacrifices, and the Future
Political Challenges of the 21st Century
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Philosophy of Climate Responsibility
Climate change is a unique political problem: its causes are distributed across the world and over time, its consequences disproportionately affect the poor and future generations, and its solution requires unprecedented global coordination.
Philosophical questions: who should pay for climate policy? Historical emitters (rich countries, industry since the 19th century) or current ones (China, India, emerging economies)? The “polluter pays” principle or “ability to pay”?
Intergenerational Justice
What is our duty to generations yet unborn? Rawls did not resolve this issue: his “veil of ignorance” did not include ignorance of which generation you are born into. How much can current consumption “cost” the future — and who decides?
Question for reflection: What is the planning horizon in your organization? How are the long-term consequences of decisions for “future stakeholders” taken into account?
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