Ethics & Climate Change: The Greenhouse EffectWilfrid Laurier Univ. Press, 1993 M08 19 - 199 pages Faced with the prospect of global warming, the anticipated rapid rise in global air temperatures due to the release of gases into the atmosphere, we have two choices of how to respond: adaptation or avoidance. With adaptation we keep burning fossil fuels, let global temperatures rise and make whatever changes this requires: move people from environmentally damaged areas, build sea walls, etc. With avoidance we stop warming from occurring, either by reducing our use of fossil fuels or by using technology such as carbon dioxide recovery after combustion to block the warming effect. Yet each strategy has its drawbacks—adaptation may not be able to occur fast enough to accommodate the expected temperature increases, but avoidance would be prohibitively expensive. An ethically acceptable goal must involve some mixture of adaptation and avoidance. Written by a team of scientists, social scientists, humanists, legal and environmental scholars and corporate researchers, this book offers an ethical analysis of possible responses to the problem. Their analyses of the scientific and technological data and the ethical principles involved in determining whose interests should be considered point to a combination of adaptation and avoidance of greenhouse gas production. They offer assessments of personal, corporate, government and international responsibility and a series of recommendations to aid decision-makers in determining solutions and apportioning responsibility. |
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... increases , but avoidance would be prohibitively expensive . An ethically acceptable goal must involve some mixture of adapta- tion and avoidance . Written by a team of scientists , social scientists , humanists , legal and ...
... Increase in the Mean Annual North American Temperatures 68 4.4 Change in Temperature from 1959-73 to 1974-88 in Canada 69 4.5 Projected Climate Warming in Canada 70 4.6 The Ecoprovinces of Canada 72 5.1 The Two - player Greenhouse ...
... increases in the greenhouse effect are probably the main cause . Human activity is seen to be responsible for this warming . The natural greenhouse effect is beneficial , making life on earth possible , but our tampering is setting the ...
... increase . Much of the current permafrost will disappear , result- ing in more release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere and a further 0.5 ° C increase in global mean surface annual air tempera- ture . All of these ...
... increasing energy efficiency , one will be able to provide the same goods and services at less cost and using less energy . Actions of this sort would be in the interests of people , would use less fossil fuel , and would produce less ...
Contents
1 | |
11 | |
23 | |
3 Religious Responsibility | 39 |
4 The ArcticA Canadian Case Study | 61 |
5 Personal Responsibility | 81 |
6 Corporate Responsibility | 99 |
7 International Responsibility | 115 |
Efficiency and Ethical Considerations | 133 |
9 Energy Efficiency at Home and Abroad | 149 |
Conclusion | 165 |
About the Authors | 171 |
Bibliography | 175 |
Index | 187 |
Other editions - View all
Ethics and Climate Change: The Greenhouse Effect Harold Coward,Thomas Hurka No preview available - 1993 |
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