ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the ethics of climate change as it impacts the desirable aim of achieving sustainable development. After discussing the science of climate change the chapter entertains the kinds of trade-offs between enhanced consumption (a byproduct of development) and climate change control. Utilitarianism and the economics of expected and discounted benefit provides one approach for evaluating these trade-offs, social contract theory provides another. Both theories raise questions about fairness extending across generations and across economic levels. For instance, they ask the question: Who (if anyone) should have priority in assistance? They also raise questions about whether ideal justice or less-than-ideal justice should be pursued in order to secure global cooperation among all peoples, rich or poor, developed or undeveloped.