Seeking Second-Best Solutions: Climate Justice and Non-Ideal Theory

Abstract

Post-Copenhagen, the challenge of addressing climate change remains as intractable as ever. Current proposals are judged by many to fall short of even minimal demands of justice. In such circumstances where there is only partial compliance it is essential to consider questions of non-ideal theory. Full compliance with the ideal principles of justice might not be actualised, either as a result of deliberate actions by individuals and institutions, or due to unfortunate circumstances. Issues of both deliberate and unfortunate non-compliance appear readily in discussions of climate justice. Firstly, it might be argued that climate change is itself a result of the non-compliance of some parties. Those with historically high levels of emissions could be said to have used more than their fair share. One question therefore is how should we respond to this (putative) historical injustice? Partial compliance issues are also evident when we consider that some states continue to refuse to do their fair share. This scenario raises two questions: firstly, what should other states do, and secondly, what should individuals do given that states do not seem to create the institutions demanded by justice? The fragmentation of cause and effect, the spatial and temporal distance between them, and the uncertainty surrounding the effects of climate change make it singularly difficult to motivate individuals to implement a just solution. In addition, many countries may face a trade-off between mitigation and poverty reduction. It is therefore necessary to make systematic comparisons between more or less just policies to address climate change. Doing so is not straightforward given the number of complicating factors involved. This panel invites contributions from political philosophers and others interested in applying insights from the current literature on climate justice to the questions and problems involved in seeking practicable but principled solutions to global climate change.

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