PO301 Environmental Justice
Exam Questions
‘ The costs of managing global climate change should be distributed according to
the wealth of the respective parties.’ Discuss.
According to what moral principle should the costs associated with tackling global
climate change be distributed amongst states?
‘The costs of managing global climate change should be distributed according to
the wealth of the respective parties.’ Discuss.
Critically evaluate the claim that the costs of managing global climate change
should be distributed amongst states according to the ability-to-pay principle.
NB: Environmental justice: consider and interrogate all three facets of the hybrid argument
(APP/BPP/CPP). Try to show individually that each principle has enough merit to be
considered in a possible pluralist theory.
Argument style:
Tackle some of the minor ‘empirical’ premises (Parfit’s time-independence claim)
Tackle some of the major ‘moral’ premises (no reciprocation to the future = no
duty to consider intergenerational justice? Concept of “harm” and the non-identity
problem: have we harmed someone, all things considered, when we hand down a
bad situation to future generations? If so, maybe the non-identity problem is
irrelevant)
Identify internal inconsistencies
Suppressed premises (e.g. why shouldn't the difference principle hold across
borders, rather than just within territories)
Conclusion does not follow from premises (e.g. logical fallacies: if Singer eats
meat, he does not adhere to his principle, so we should reject his argument)
Distributive Justice
“The fair distribution of benefits, burdens and risks arising within human communities
linked to their shared use of, and impact upon, the natural environment”.
Important for three reasons:
1. A scientific understanding is insufficient;
2. Different normative convictions lead to different policies (utilitarianism, priority,
libertarianism).
Barry: we should pass on an equal amount of resources to the next
Exam Questions
‘ The costs of managing global climate change should be distributed according to
the wealth of the respective parties.’ Discuss.
According to what moral principle should the costs associated with tackling global
climate change be distributed amongst states?
‘The costs of managing global climate change should be distributed according to
the wealth of the respective parties.’ Discuss.
Critically evaluate the claim that the costs of managing global climate change
should be distributed amongst states according to the ability-to-pay principle.
NB: Environmental justice: consider and interrogate all three facets of the hybrid argument
(APP/BPP/CPP). Try to show individually that each principle has enough merit to be
considered in a possible pluralist theory.
Argument style:
Tackle some of the minor ‘empirical’ premises (Parfit’s time-independence claim)
Tackle some of the major ‘moral’ premises (no reciprocation to the future = no
duty to consider intergenerational justice? Concept of “harm” and the non-identity
problem: have we harmed someone, all things considered, when we hand down a
bad situation to future generations? If so, maybe the non-identity problem is
irrelevant)
Identify internal inconsistencies
Suppressed premises (e.g. why shouldn't the difference principle hold across
borders, rather than just within territories)
Conclusion does not follow from premises (e.g. logical fallacies: if Singer eats
meat, he does not adhere to his principle, so we should reject his argument)
Distributive Justice
“The fair distribution of benefits, burdens and risks arising within human communities
linked to their shared use of, and impact upon, the natural environment”.
Important for three reasons:
1. A scientific understanding is insufficient;
2. Different normative convictions lead to different policies (utilitarianism, priority,
libertarianism).
Barry: we should pass on an equal amount of resources to the next
