Environmental Values Environmental Values
Environmental Values 17(2008): 471-488. doi: 10.3197/096327108X368494
ABSTRACT
In this article I argue that governments are justified in addressing the potential for human induced climate damages on the basis of future generations' rights to bodily integrity and personal property. First, although future generations' entitlements to property originate in our present entitlements, the principle of self-ownership requires us to take 'reasonable care' of the products of future labour. Second, while Parfit's non-identity problem has as yet no satisfactory solution, the present absence of an equilibrium between theory and intuitions justifies a precautionary approach, i.e. treating climate damage as a wrongful harm. In addition, a supplementary consideration is described as arising from transcendental needs.
KEYWORDS
Climate change, future generations, wrongful harm, non-identity problem
REFERENCES to other articles in Environmental Values:
Can We Harm Future People? Alan Carter
A Perfect Moral Storm: Climate Change, Intergenerational Ethics and the Problem of Moral Corruption. Stephen M. Gardner
Distributive Justice in International Environmental Policy: Axiomatic Foundation and Exemplary Formulation Carsten Helm and Udo. E. Simonis
The Future - For Better or Worse Ernest Partridge
Ethics and Climate Change: A Commentary on MacCracken, Toman and Gardiner.Peter Singer
Values in the Economics of Climate Change. Michael Toman
CITATIONS in other Environmental Values articles
Morality and Climate Change: Is Leaving your TV on Standby a Risky Behaviour? Catherine Butler
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