ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that this should be taken into account when discussing individual responsibility for environmental problems. Most of the topics discussed in society, which focus on responsibility, involve a tension between individual actions and societal activities. Consistent with the notion of individualism that is so well-entrenched in liberal Western societies, many philosophers traditionally regard the notion of collective responsibility with suspicion. In feudal societies, relationships between individuals were clearly unequal. Especially in the years preceding the financial crisis of 2008, the question of individual responsibility for climate change was the subject of much debate. As individuals we are taken to be morally responsible for environmental problems. The individual's choice to act in a certain way should be considered in her socio-economic, political and cultural context. Collective agents have the power and resources to affect the number of individuals who possess such capacity and resources. Individuals are blameworthy for acts that contribute to environmental problems.
