How should the concept of distributive justice influence the response of the United States to evidence of global warming? – 5 important facts to note
How should the concept of distributive justice influence the response of the United States to evidence of global warming?
The Justice of Climate Change. In Chapter 1 of your textbook, the author identifies the possible causes and consequences of global warming/climate change as emerging issues loaded with implications for justice.
He also analyzes the concepts of distributive justice, commutative justice, and retributive justice and suggests their relevance to conversations about how individuals, businesses, and nations should respond justly to evidence of global warming.
These conversations are made more difficult by acrimonious debates about the quality of the scientific evidence that supports global warming hypotheses as well as the motives and integrity of various scientists on both sides of the issue.
“Case Study 1.4 – Getting Warmer?” illustrates this problem.
Familiarize yourself with the debate highlighted in Case Study 1.4 by reviewing the required resources for this discussion.
Then apply concepts of distributive justice, commutative justice, and retributive justice to answer the following questions.
a. How should the concept of distributive justice influence the response of the United States to evidence of global warming? Why?
b. How should the concept of commutative justice influence your response, as an individual, to evidence of global warming? Why?
c. How should the concept of retributive justice influence governmental and individual responses to business activities which emit substantial amounts of carbon dioxide and other “greenhouse gases.” Why?
