Impact of Global Warming on Human Health and Environment
What is the most appropriate ethical framework for responding to the distribution of burdens arising from addressing Global Warming?
In the contemporary world, global warming is one of the most significant threats that has overshadowed all the development and wellbeing of the living creatures in the world. It is the gradual rise in the temperature of the globe’s atmosphere credited to the greenhouse impact that are the result of the increased level of CFCs, carbon dioxide and other pollutants. It is the global climate crisis that defines the moral issues of the current century. The change in the climate is expressed by the issues of global warming like rise in rate of average temperature, long-term alteration on rain, levels of high tide, salinity and acidity of the ocean, patterns of the wind, and extreme events of the weather that includes heat waves, heavy rains, and intense tropical cyclones. In this paper, I will discuss the possible ethical framework which is appropriate to address the burdens arising from the issues of global warming. The paper has highlighted two of the most relevant theories for addressing the issues of global warming, namely the green theory and the cosmopolitan theory, from which I will summarize the effective one among the two in the context of development and wellbeing of living creatures in the world.
According to the American Meteorological Society, there exists a probability of 90 percent increase in the global temperature in the coming years. These shifts in the temperature tend to trigger major disasters that results in an increase in the level of the sea, volatile and violent patterns of the weather, chances of famine, shortages of water and other tertiary impacts like conflict (Feldman et al. 2014,pp. 602).
The health and the environmental consequences related to the change in the climate tend to affect the low-income nations and the poor people in the high-income nations disproportionately. It furthermore affects the social justice and human rights by threatening and challenging the political, civil as well as the social, economic and cultural rights of the people of the globe. Some of these rights include right to live, safe water, and food, health, shelter, security, and culture (Paterson 2016, pp. 181). Environmental impacts caused due to global warming include an excessive rate of precipitation, weather events, and higher sea levels that tend to adversely impact the agricultural production, productivity level of the workers, access towards safe drinking and sanitation water sources and formation of various environmental refugees (Page and Heyward 2017, pp. 364). Some of the adverse effects that are caused by global warming and climate changes include allergic issues and disorder, disorders related to heat, waterborne and food borne diseases, respiratory issues, mental health issues and the problem of malnutrition among the people in the globe (Liu, Wu and Huang 2017,pp. 157). People who are most vulnerable towards the consequences related to health and the environment changes include minority group members, poor resident, an individual with chronic disabilities and diseases (Huggel et al. 2016, pp. 901). The consequences of global warming threaten the rights that are embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Hansen et al. 2016, pp. 3790). These rights include right to security, right to an adequate standard of living, and right to food, right to clothing, right to medical care, housing and essential social services (Page 2016, pp.91). Thus it can be concluded that addressing the issues related to human rights and facilities that are the result of global warming are essential to promote an equal, rational and perfectly governed mankind in the globe.
Ethics of Addressing Global Warming
According to the global perspective, much inequality exists within the low-income countries that produce least greenhouse gases and are more adversely affected by climate changes induced by global warming (Feldman et al. 2014, pp. 602). Thus, Global Warming is an ethical issue which need to be address ethically to stop it progression in nature (Kolk 2016, pp. 29).Two of the most discussed ethical framework inmodern era is the green theory and the cosmopolitan theory. These theories provide some better way of understanding this phenomenon and how to approach or find solution.
The emergence of green theory is generally caused by the environmental degradation by the complex activities of the human beings. The green theory emerged at 1980 as a result of social movements related to environmental protection (Brambilla et al. 2018, pp. 211). This theory deal with issues such as, social justice, grass-roots democracy and ecological responsibility of the environment (Pascual et al. 2017, pp. 075001). The theory consist of normative branch that questions the rights, democracy, environment and justice and the political economy branch that deals with the relation among economy, state and the environment. In the context of the above question, green theory rejects the idea that human beings are the centre of value and evaluation and have criticized humanity for the burden arising from their actions that result in global warming (Liu, Wu and Huang 2017,pp. 157).
On the other hand, the theory of cosmopolitanism explains the principle of global distributive justice and which deliver a critique of the current global system and the one-sided position of human in dealing with the climate change (Paterson 2016, pp. 181). Political cosmopolitanism suggests the formation of democratic governance in the global levels as the necessity to address the issues raised due to global warming. In this theory three main objection are addressed for mitigating the threat of the global warming. These are (i) impact of use of emission allowance marketplace of the values of the environment, (ii) The injustice by the policy instruments that commodify atmosphere and (iii) the relation among the emission market and the norms of procedural justice (Lewandowsky, Risbey and Oreskes 2015, pp. 16784).
Global warming is the perfect moral storm since it brings some of the major challenges to the ethical actions for the development and the wellbeing of the living mankind. The climate changes that are the main results of the global warming are a truly global phenomenon. The greenhouse gas emissions have climate effects on the planet and are often said to result in the tragedy of commons or prisoners dilemma (Bernstein 2015, pp. 130).
Green Theory
It is important to address the changes in the environment caused by the global warming in an ethical manner. Some of the key factors or reasons regarding why it is essential to address the changes ethically include some of the following reasons like fairness and costs regarding the emission of green house gas and pricing of carbon tax. Furthermore, inequalities of power and wealth and lack of preservation of human rights and rights of existence among other living species are some of the reasons.
Ethical arguments merit a place in the table among the political, economic, environmental and social factors. The ethical understanding of the problems raised due to global warming targets the main or the heart of the problem. By appropriate discussions, it can be identified what problems can be avoided or resolved (Pascual et al. 2017, pp. 075001). The perspectives related to ethics can transcend the competition among different factors that enable to pull out the key issues which need utmost importance. Some of the key factors include adverse potential impacts on the health of human, disproportionate effects on the poorest people in the world, damage for human activities, harsh climate surprises for the homeless and the wild lives (Brambilla et al. 2018, pp. 211).
The ethical frameworks of the theories as discussed above, the green theory and the cosmopolitan theory for responding to the distribution of burdens arising from addressing Global Warming are as follows:
Some of the strengths of the green theory include the following. The theory contributes largely to the political thinking of nations of the globe. It furthermore focuses on problems like the relationship among human and non human world. One of the major strengths of the green theory is that it considers the moral status of wild lives and animals besides the human beings. The theory focuses on the ethical and political regulations of the innovation of technology (Méjean, Lecocq and Mulugetta 2015, pp. 394) and characterizes on dealing with contemporary issues like resource competition, rising inequalities, climate change and more.
Some of the weaknesses of the green theory include the following. There is no global definition of the theory despite of the statement by UNEP that states that the theory helps in initiating improved wellbeing of humans and social equity and reduces the environmental risks (Caney 2016, pp. 21).Furthermore, the situational concept and the characteristics of the green theory vary according to the considered area. The green theory cannot be implemented fully due to individual’s private interest and the contradicting ideas of the leaders of the nation.
Cosmopolitan Theory
The strengths of the cosmopolitanism theory include the following. The theory draws attention on stoic tradition implying the positive moral ideal of the universal human community. It furthermore explains the principle of global distributive justice and addresses issues of state citizenship.
The weaknesses of the cosmopolitanism theory are that it lacks proper address towards the animal and the greens of the world. Furthermore, the theory is too much constructive and dependent on political regimes (Watts et al. 2015, pp.1899). Furthermore, the theory lacks proper address towards the needs of human beings as the citizens of the world. The cosmopolitanism theory is more applicable on state instead of international platform and hence it lacks the world wide view.
Step 1: The general principles, the aim, and scope.
The declaration proclaiming ethical principles of policy formulations and other related actions relates to the global warming and the climate changes. Hence, the declaration and the framework recommend for the consideration of the ethical principles regarding all the decisions and actions that are related to climate changes on the international, national and local basis.
Step 2: The prevention of the possible harm
Consideration of the erosion of the climate change towards the erosion of the sustainability of the ecosystem of the globe and the threat to the future wellbeing of the livelihoods of the people should be taken into consideration for the implementation of possible measures (Brambilla et al. 2018, pp. 211). Hence, formulation and implementation of policies and actions for mitigating and adapting to the climate changes is required that includes climate resilience and emission of low greenhouse gas development in such a method that it does not affect or threatens the production of food.
Step 3: Justice and Equity
In the context of global warming, justice needs fair and meaningful treatments for the effective involvement of the entire individual. Furthermore, global engagements that tend to mobilize the international organizations, governments and civil society may turn to be beneficial. Furthermore it has been found that women are disproportionately being affected by the global warming and the change in the climatic condition and tend to have considerably less and negligible access to the global resources. Furthermore, the state should enable facilitation and encouragement towards the public awareness and participation in the decision making by facilitating access to knowledge and information regarding the change in the climate (Caney 2014, pp. 131). The state should also develop means to implement adaptation and mitigation actions while taking into consideration the differentiated needs and access towards the resources of the most vulnerable group. Hence, effective access to the administrative and judicial proceedings that include remedy in response to the adverse impact of the climate changes should be provided as stated in the national laws (Paterson 2016, pp. 181).
Strengths and Weaknesses of Green Theory and Cosmopolitan Theory
Step 4: The Sustainable Development
According to this ethical framework, for ensuring and enabling that the current and the upcoming generation are able to meet their requirements, it is thus urgent that all the states promote the implementation of the agendas for the successful sustainable development by the adoption of sustainable patterns of production, consumption and waste management processes (Caney 2016, pp. 21). Hence, all the states of the nation should also work for ensuring that each and every individual gets benefited from the developmental opportunities, especially the targeted ones, namely the vulnerable group of people.
Step 5: The Solidarity
The concept of solidarity states that each and every human being should collectively and individually assist groups or people who are among the most vulnerable towards the change in climate and natural disasters (Gardiner and Weisbach 2016). The states and others who hold the capacity to address the changes in the climate should co-operate by giving utmost importance towards protecting and enhancing the entire globe in such a way that it portrays the interdependence and the solidarity among the people belonging from various backgrounds and the connection of the humankind with other ecosystems, organisms, and environment (Fu et al. 2015, pp. 106). Hence, the relevant understanding of the knowledge related to the impacts of the global warming should be initiated and shared equitably for increasing the mitigating and adopting capacities for the increase in the ecosystem and resilience of the people.
Step 6: The integrity and relevant scientific pieces of knowledge in decision making procedure
The integrity and relevant scientific pieces of knowledge is essential in decision making procedure. Decisions should be dependable on best available knowledge from the context of social and natural science that includes transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences (Vuille et al. 2015, pp.3749). The scientific cooperation should furthermore be strengthened for the development of a comprehensive understanding of the changes in the climate as well as possible actions related to mitigation and adaptation. According to the ethical framework it is important for the state to take measures for the protection and maintenance of the integrity of the scientific procedure and the independence of the knowledge related to science. The possible measures include assistance for maintaining valid scientific standards and the transparency at all the levels in the context of findings, methodologies and scientific research conditions.
Thus it important for the state to raise awareness and propagate knowledge and literacy among the population. Promotion of accurate communication regarding changes in the climate and building effective mechanism for strengthening the interface between the science and the policy is also essential for ensuring a sound knowledge base in the decision making.
Conclusion
Step 7: Technology, Science, and Innovations
Science, technology and innovation are the important factors to promote the application of the ethical principles. The state must develop strategies for upholding the integrity of scientific research while addressing the issues of global warming and climate changes. The state must also use the best knowledge of science that is available in decision making for the issues related to global warming (Lewandowsky, Risbey and Oreskes 2015, pp. 16784). Development and scaling up of assessed technologies, actions and infrastructures for the reduction of the global warming are essential. It can thus be concluded that the state must promote access to training opportunities and information that are relevant to the solutions and challenges associated with the global warming and must encourage the development of the knowledge related to science for the initiated transformation of production patterns, consumption, and management for making it more compatible and sustainable with the environment.
Step 8: Risk assessment and management
Promotion of the development of the risk maps, assessments related to science-based technology and environment and the appropriate management of the risk connected to the global warming and disasters that are natural are essential for implementation.
Step 9: Vulnerable groups
It is important to give utmost priority in the response of the global warming to the requirements of the vulnerable group of people which mostly includes to migrants, indigenous people, local community people, disabled persons, the notion of gender equality, women empowerment and the international equity (Méjean, Lecocq and Mulugetta 2015, pp. 394).
Step 10: Education
Education is one of the most important factors in the context of development. Advanced curriculum and awareness towards the knowledge about the relation of the human being with the climate and the global warming issues of the world as well as the ecosystems, responsibilities of the current generation towards the upcoming future generation should be taken into consideration. Furthermore it should also be ensured that in accordance with the laws of the nation, each and every individual irrespective of any discrimination have access to the opportunities to gain knowledges and learning that will ultimately help them to acquire and update the skills, knowledge, values and the nature that is required for responding to the burden caused due to global warming and contribute for sustainable development (Grasso and Markowitz 2015, pp. 331). It is thus important for the state to initiate support to the developing countries by scientific and educational capacities and also by financial means.
Step 11: Public Awareness
Promotion of awareness regarding the possible burdens and issues that can happen from the global warming should be done by strengthening social dialogue, media communication, civil society organization and cultural-religious communities (Page 2016, pp.91).
Step 12: Responsibility
Ensuring effective policies related to the climate and the best practices for the promotion of appropriate governance measures, transparency, corruption prevention and assessment of the mechanism is essential for underpinning the environmental, social and societal responsibilities of all the pertinent actors of the society.
Step 13: International Cooperation
Facilitation, support, and engagement in the international procedure for initiating effective communication for the promotion of multidisciplinary, intercultural and pluralistic dialogue are necessary (Page and Heyward 2017, pp. 364). It is also important to engage in support in the research collaboration in the international basis which is related to global warming issues. The state should furthermore promote the sharing of the results gained from the technological and scientific innovations in a timely and equitable manner.
The field of global warming ethics has evolved rapidly over the past few decades for the benefit of the negotiations related to the climate changes and actions at all levels (Watts et al. 2015, pp.1899). The ethical dimension of the global warming and climate change depicts a critical issue and is the key towards the continued progress on adapting and mitigating the issues caused due to global warming. The green theory is more appropriate and should thus be adopted by the international body. This is because the approach of the theory consists of a holistic approach that includes the concern towards the human, the animals and the green livings in the globe that are adversely affected and are on the verge of extinction due to the burden caused by global warming. Unlike the cosmopolitanism theory, the green theory includes an international approach addressing each and every living creatures and not only the human residing in the globe.
Conclusion
The crisis of the global warming is a moral and ethical issue that threatens the majority of the people of the world and their basic human rights. In other words, the adverse consequences of the global warming tend to worsen day by day. The address of the burdens caused due to the global warming is a health and priority regarding the rights of the human and actions related to the implementation the measures play a key role in the development process. The green theory and the cosmopolitan theory are the two major theories that have been discussed above for the proper analysis of the ethical framework required to address the targeted issues like violation of rights of the human, threats towards the animals and the wild lives and the greenery. The mitigation and the adaptation measures should be equitable in protecting and promoting the basic human rights among all the human beings of the globe. It is further to be noted that the formulation of the ethics in response to the global warming has profound implications for the current and the future wellness of a huge number of people who are the current victims of the global warming. Effective use of the frameworks by the international body with proper planning and discussion among the nations of the world should be initiated for the successful propagation of the measures to address the issues or burden arising from the global warming..
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