10. Climate change ethics

Question 1

How does time lag influence carbon emissions?

Answer 1

The conditions that we observe now are the result of our past emissions. Probably we only see the consequences in 20-30 of today’s emissions.

Question 2

What is a MAC curve?

Answer 2

• Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC) curve
• Abatement means “ending”
• Popular policy tool that helps companies identify GHG emissions abatement potential and related abatement and related abatement costs

Question 3

Define ethics.

Answer 3

• The study of moral principles which should guide human behavior
• Encompasses a set of principles or values that govern what is considered right or wrong in a particular context.

Question 4

Define justice

Answer 4

Justice is a specific aspect of ethics that is concerned with the fair and equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and consequences within a society.

Question 5

What is BAU in CC ethics?

Answer 5

BAU is the baseline scenario designed to examine the consequences of continuing current trends in population, economy, technology and human behaviour.

Question 6

What is a normative scenario in CC ethics?

Answer 6

Normative (or prescriptive) scenarios describe a prespecified future, presenting a “picture of the world achievable (or avoidable only through certain actions. The scenario itself becomes an argument for taking those actions.”

Question 7

What are exploratory scenarios in CC ethics?

Answer 7

Exploratory scenarios describe possible future developments. ‘What-if’ we do/implement some given practices/actions/innovations.

Question 8

What is distributive justice + name 2 underlying principles

Answer 8

Distributive justice is a concept in political philosophy and ethics that deals with the fair distribution of resources, benefits, and burdens within a society.

Principles:

1. Equal distribution (egalitarian)
2. Meeting minimum needs for all (sufficientarian)
3. Prioritizing the worst off (prioritarian)
4. Applying principles of merit
5. Limiting excess resource use (limitation)

Question 9

Describe substantive justice

Answer 9

Deals with fairness of access and final allocation of benefits and burdens including rights, resources, capital, responsibility, risks and blame

Question 10

Describe recognition justice

Answer 10

Deals with evaluating the fairness of interactions between groups that disproportionately suffer or have contributed from/to negative environmental consequences.

Question 11

Describe conservative justice

Answer 11

Conservative justice: maintains the status quo and expectations with demands for transitional justice if existing property rights are taken away.

Question 12

What are abatement costs?

Answer 12

Abatement costs are the costs or savings expected from different opportunities, alongside the potential volume of emissions.

Question 13

What is the GDR framework?

Answer 13

Greenhouse Development Rights: proposal for a global climate agreement in which the obligations assigned to nations are based on a combination or responsibility and capacity.

Question 14

What are the three principles that one can use to allocate shares in a carbon budget?

Answer 14

1. Equal per capita
2. Polluters pay
3. Capacity to pay