The ethics of climate change: who should bear the costs and who should take action?

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The ethics of climate change: who should bear the costs and who should take action?
by Momina Ahsan \| 15-04-2023 07:26 1
The Earth's climate in the early ages was a dynamic and ever-changing system. From the scorching heat of the Hadean Eon to the icy depths of the Proterozoic, the planet experienced a wide range of climatic conditions. However, through it all, life continued to adapt and evolve, ultimately leading to the vibrant and diverse ecosystem that we know today. From the early era's to the current times, humans are curious to explore the unexplored vistas and revolutionize the explored territories. Since the emergence of life on earth, humans are trolling development interventions to add facilitation in life irrespective of the consequences that they brought to the entire universe. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing our planet today, and the question of who should bear the costs and who should take action to address it is a complex ethical dilemma. At its core, this issue is about fairness: should those who have contributed most to the problem bear the burden of solving it, or should everyone share the responsibility equally? In the recent years, the world is facing severe consequences of the climatic and weather conditions. As the humans are unfolding the vistas and perks of industrialized and digitized revolutions to make the life a bed of roses, it is also bringing devastative incidents alongside as a consequence of human actions. A few of impacts are: Wildfires in Australia: In February 2021, Australia experienced one of its worst wildfire seasons in recent years, with large areas of forest and bushland being destroyed. Climate scientists have suggested that rising temperatures and changing weather patterns caused by climate change are making wildfires more frequent and intense. Flooding in Germany and Belgium: In July 2021, heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding in Germany and Belgium, resulting in dozens of deaths and the displacement of thousands of people. Climate scientists have suggested that such extreme rainfall events are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming. Heatwaves in North America: In June 2021, parts of the United States and Canada experienced extreme heatwaves, with temperatures reaching record highs in some areas. These heatwaves are becoming more common due to rising temperatures caused by global warming. Hurricane Ida in the United States: In August 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana, causing widespread damage and flooding. Climate scientists have suggested that the increased intensity of hurricanes and other extreme weather events is linked to global warming. Flooding in Karachi: In August 2020, heavy monsoon rains caused widespread flooding in the city of Karachi. The flooding resulted in dozens of deaths and the displacement of thousands of people. Climate scientists have suggested that such extreme rainfall events are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming. Glacial lake outburst flood: In July 2020, a glacial lake in the Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan burst its banks, resulting in a massive flood that caused widespread damage to infrastructure and property. Climate scientists have suggested that such events are becoming more common in mountainous regions due to the melting of glaciers caused by rising temperatures. Floods in 2022: According to the Pakistan Education Sector Working Group, the floods affected 2.2 million children and damaged a total of 34,204 schools in 126 districts. As of early March 2023 there was a 40% gap in funding and low coverage to support school rehabilitations. These are the deadliest floods in Pakistan since 2010, when nearly 2,000 died in flooding, and the deadliest in the world since the 2020 South Asian floods. Around 10–12% of Pakistan was flooded; the total area of standing floodwaters peaked between July and August at approximately 32,800 square miles (84,952 km2). Locust swarms: In 2020, Pakistan experienced the worst locust swarms in decades, with billions of insects descending on agricultural areas and causing widespread damage to crops. Climate scientists have suggested that such swarms are becoming more common due to changes in weather patterns caused by climate change. The above incidents portrayed the need of addressing climatic changes at the earliest and displayed the need to highlight the importance of course of actions required to make LIFE & CLIMATIC SUSTAINABILITY possible. While considering the facts that 98% of the climatic changes are due to course of actions and developments by the DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, one argument is that those who have contributed most to climate change should bear the costs of addressing it. This argument is often framed in terms of historical responsibility: countries that have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions should take the lead in reducing them. This argument is often directed at developed countries, particularly the United States and other Western nations, which have contributed the most to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The historical responsibility argument has some merit. Developed countries have contributed a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore bear a greater responsibility to address climate change. Furthermore, these countries have benefitted from industrialization and economic development that has contributed to climate change, while many developing countries have not. However, this argument also has some limitations. For one, it is difficult to assign precise responsibility for climate change. While developed countries have contributed more historically, the emissions of developing countries are rapidly increasing, and many of these countries are experiencing the worst effects of climate change. Furthermore, assigning responsibility based on historical emissions may not be fair to current generations who did not contribute to the problem. While considering the above facts and figures, another argument is that everyone should share the responsibility for addressing climate change equally. This argument is often based on the principle of distributive justice, which holds that resources should be distributed fairly among all members of society. From this perspective, everyone who benefits from a stable climate should be responsible for ensuring it is maintained, regardless of their historical contribution to the problem. This argument has the advantage of being more inclusive, as it recognizes that everyone has a stake in addressing climate change. It also has the potential to be more effective, as it encourages collective action and shared responsibility. However, it may be difficult to implement in practice, as it may be challenging to get everyone to agree to take action and bear the costs equally. A third argument is that those who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change should be the primary focus of climate action. This argument is often based on the principle of corrective justice, which holds that those who have been harmed by an injustice should be compensated or helped in some way. From this perspective, those who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as low-income communities and small island nations, should be the focus of climate action. Pakistan is a developing country that contributes very little to global greenhouse gas emissions, which are the primary drivers of climate change. In fact, according to the Climate Action Tracker, Pakistan is one of the countries with the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the world. In 2018, Pakistan contributed just 0.9% of global greenhouse gas emissions, despite having a population of over 200 million people. However, despite being a low-emitting country, Pakistan is one of the countries that is most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The country is already experiencing a wide range of climatic changes, including rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. These changes are affecting Pakistan's economy, agriculture, and natural ecosystems, and are having serious impacts on the country's population. The impacts of climate change on Pakistan are largely the result of the actions of developed countries, which have historically been the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. These countries have contributed the most to the problem of climate change, and they continue to emit large amounts of greenhouse gases today. As a result, developing countries like Pakistan are suffering the most from the impacts of climate change, despite having contributed very little to the problem. This argument has the advantage of recognizing that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a social justice issue. It also recognizes that those who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are often those who have contributed least to the problem. However, it may be challenging to implement in practice, as it requires significant resources and coordination to support vulnerable communities and build resilience to the effects of climate change. Ultimately, the ethics of climate change are complex and multifaceted, and there is no one right answer to the question of who should bear the costs and take action. Each of the arguments presented here has its strengths and limitations, and a comprehensive approach to climate change will likely require a combination of these different perspectives. The key is to recognize that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a social justice issue, and to work towards solutions that are fair, inclusive, and effective for everyone. There is a dire need to address the climatic changes and take critical measures for the sustainability of climatic equality. For this, we must opt following measures at individual and national levels. Alongside, we must collaborate and work together on International level for a better course of action and impactful strategic interventions. One of the most important actions we can take is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This can be done by using clean energy sources, reducing energy consumption, and promoting sustainable transportation. We can also take action by promoting sustainable practices, such as reducing waste, using environmentally-friendly products, and supporting sustainable agriculture. Raising awareness about the impacts of climate change and promoting sustainable practices is another important action we can take. This can be done through education, media campaigns, and community engagement. We can also advocate for change by supporting policies and regulations that address climate change, and by pushing for action at the local, national, and international levels. Along with that we have many influencers working for their fame by using digitized modules, they must start campaigns to introduce #SAVECLIMATE and organize charity, donations, climate change savior camps to promote ethical values while revolutionizing the climatic sustainability. Rather than BLAME GAMES, Lets introduce FAIR PLAYS! SAVE CLIMATE, before its too LATE!

Former E-gen Ambassador Momina Ahsan

2 Comments

Yewon Mentor says :
Hello again Momina! This is your mentor Yewon.
Again, I apologize for the late comment.

In this report, you have pointed out a very important point related to climate change!
Lots of actions done to prevent climate change cost a lot of money, and someone should bear those costs. You have mentioned the argument that ' those who have contributed most to climate change should bear the costs of addressing it'. I liked the way you mentioned the limitations of this argument and further discussion! I think this topic should be discussed properly to response to climate change effectively!

Thank you for your wonderful report! Great work!!
Posted 08-08-2023 13:22

James Mentor says :
Hello again Momina! This is your mentor James.

The topic of this report is certainly controversial and crucial. First, you have clearly stated specific cases of major climate change. Then, you talked about distribution of responsibility for the consequences of climate change. It seems logical to hold developed countries responsible for climate change, and I partially agree to that claim as well. However, the current world has also received benefits provided from these developed countries, mainly being technological advances and useful products. Thus, any social individual who is using factory-made goods or technology may be accountable for the climate change we see today.

Thanks again for this lovely writing!
Posted 06-05-2023 11:26