Climate change and global justice

Abstract

Today's human-induced climate change is generating far-reaching ecological, economic and social change across the globe. Although industrialized countries are regarded as the primary causes of climate change, the costs are mainly laid at the door of developing countries - where emissions are low, but vulnerability is high. This raises the question of a fair and just balance of responsibilities. In the course of the current debate, the obvious deficiency in justice is merging into a demand for sustainable, fair environmental policies, which faces a twofold concrete problem: 1. Rapid and effective problem-solving strategies must be developed to mitigate the increase in global warming. To achieve this, the distribution mechanisms and distribution effects of trading with carbon certificates must be readjusted and reformed. 2. Successful climate protection policies could halt the progress of global warming and avoid a rise of over two degrees in global temperature. Despite this, human habitats would change radically. To guarantee the human adaptability which is thus under threat, preventive and adaptive measures are necessary which, although implemented as national projects, must be accompanied by the demand for international distribution of costs. An ethical analysis of climate change must ultimately lead to further restructuring of intergovernmental relations and the international system. Specifically, discussions must address the introduction of new institutions such as the establishment of an International Environmental Court designed to serve as a legal framework within which future conflicts can be solved.