Climate change, fundamental interests, and global justice. Issue 5 (2nd September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Knight, Carl
• Is Part Of: Critical review of international social and political philosophy. Volume 19:Issue 5(2016)
• Page Start: 629
• Page End: 644
• Publication Date: 2016-09-02
• Subjects: climate change -- human rights -- luck egalitarianism -- prioritarianism -- Simon Caney -- utilitarianism; Political science -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Policy sciences -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; 320.01
• DOI: 10.1080/13698230.2016.1183755
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8230

Abstract

Abstract : Political philosophers commonly tackle the issue of climate change by focusing on fundamental interests as a basis for human rights. This approach struggles, however, in cases where one set of fundamental interests requires one course of action, and another set of fundamental interests requires a contradictory course of action. This article advances an alternative response to climate change based on an account of global justice that gives weight to utilitarian, prioritarian, and luck egalitarian considerations. A practical application of this pluralistic account is provided, which shows that it handles trade-offs between individuals' interests in an appealing way and that it supports an aggressive policy of climate change mitigation. This account provides a more plausible justification for rights against the harms of climate change.