Baatz, Christian (2014) Climate Change and Individual Duties to Reduce GHG Emissions. Ethics, Policy & Environment, 17 (1). pp. 1-19. DOI 10.1080/21550085.2014.885406.

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Abstract

Although actions of individuals do contribute to climate change, the question whether or not they, too, are morally obligated to reduce the GHG emissions in their responsibility has not yet been addressed sufficiently. First, I discuss prominent objections to such a duty. I argue that whether individuals ought to reduce their emissions depends on whether or not they exceed their fair share of emission rights. In a next step I discuss several proposals for establishing fair shares and also take practical considerations into account. I conclude that individuals should not always be obliged to reduce their emissions to what is their fair share for they may depend on carbon-intensive structures. Instead, they have a Kantian imperfect duty to reduce their emissions ‘as far as can reasonably be demanded of them’. In addition, they should press governments to introduce proper regulation. At the end, I further specify both duties.

Document Type:	Article
Keywords:	Climate change, mitigation, individual duties, noncompliance, imperfect duties, equal per capita emissions
Research affiliation:	Kiel University > Kiel Marine Science OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence > FO-R02 OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence > FO-R01 Kiel University
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	Yes
Publisher:	Institute of Physics
Projects:	Future Ocean
Date Deposited:	05 Oct 2017 10:47
Last Modified:	23 Sep 2019 19:21
URI:	https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/39673

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