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A Fair Distribution of Responsibility for Climate Adaptation : Translating Principles of Distribution from an International to a Local Context

Persson, Erik LU orcid ; Eriksson, Kerstin and Knaggård, Åsa LU (2021) In Philosophies 6(3).
Abstract

Distribution of responsibility is one of the main focus areas in discussions about climate change ethics. Most of these discussions deal with the distribution of responsibility for climate change mitigation at the international level. The aim of this paper is to investigate if and how these principles can be used to inform the search for a fair distribution of responsibility for climate change adaptation on the local level. We found that the most influential distribution principles on the international level were in turn built on one or more of seven basic principles: (P1) equal shares, (P2) desert, (P3) beneficiary pays, (P4) ability, (P5) self-help, (P6) limited responsibility for the worst off, and (P7) status quo preservation. It... (More)

Distribution of responsibility is one of the main focus areas in discussions about climate change ethics. Most of these discussions deal with the distribution of responsibility for climate change mitigation at the international level. The aim of this paper is to investigate if and how these principles can be used to inform the search for a fair distribution of responsibility for climate change adaptation on the local level. We found that the most influential distribution principles on the international level were in turn built on one or more of seven basic principles: (P1) equal shares, (P2) desert, (P3) beneficiary pays, (P4) ability, (P5) self-help, (P6) limited responsibility for the worst off, and (P7) status quo preservation. It was found that all the basic principles, but P1, P3, and P7, are to some extent translatable to local climate adaptation. Two major problems hamper their usefulness on the local level: (1) several categories of agents need to take on responsibility; and (2) emissions do not work as a base for all principles. P4, P5, and P6 are applicable to local adaptation without changes. P4 is of particular importance as it seems to solve the first problem. P2 is applicable only if the second problem is solved, which can be achieved by using risk of harm instead of emissions as the basis for desert.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Climate change adaptation, Fair distribution, Forward-looking responsibility, Local adaptation, Responsibility
in
Philosophies
volume
6
issue
3
article number
68
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85112471895
ISSN
2409-9287
DOI
10.3390/philosophies6030068
project
Sustainable Distribution of Responsibility for Climate Change Adaptation
Sustainable Distribution of Responsibility for Climate Change Adaptation
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cb55f3ac-02e4-4954-854a-a17ccfb56021
date added to LUP
2021-09-08 13:47:16
date last changed
2023-05-26 10:47:31
@article{cb55f3ac-02e4-4954-854a-a17ccfb56021,
  abstract     = {{<p>Distribution of responsibility is one of the main focus areas in discussions about climate change ethics. Most of these discussions deal with the distribution of responsibility for climate change mitigation at the international level. The aim of this paper is to investigate if and how these principles can be used to inform the search for a fair distribution of responsibility for climate change adaptation on the local level. We found that the most influential distribution principles on the international level were in turn built on one or more of seven basic principles: (P1) equal shares, (P2) desert, (P3) beneficiary pays, (P4) ability, (P5) self-help, (P6) limited responsibility for the worst off, and (P7) status quo preservation. It was found that all the basic principles, but P1, P3, and P7, are to some extent translatable to local climate adaptation. Two major problems hamper their usefulness on the local level: (1) several categories of agents need to take on responsibility; and (2) emissions do not work as a base for all principles. P4, P5, and P6 are applicable to local adaptation without changes. P4 is of particular importance as it seems to solve the first problem. P2 is applicable only if the second problem is solved, which can be achieved by using risk of harm instead of emissions as the basis for desert.</p>}},
  author       = {{Persson, Erik and Eriksson, Kerstin and Knaggård, Åsa}},
  issn         = {{2409-9287}},
  keywords     = {{Climate change adaptation; Fair distribution; Forward-looking responsibility; Local adaptation; Responsibility}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Philosophies}},
  title        = {{A Fair Distribution of Responsibility for Climate Adaptation : Translating Principles of Distribution from an International to a Local Context}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/philosophies6030068}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/philosophies6030068}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}