Good day Paul I am so happy to finally see someone go beyond boxed-in borders with Climate Change. I too find the discussions centering on national emissions wasteful and unproductive. Unless we hold everyone to do their part, to reduce their own carbon footprint, and NOW, we will all soon be embroiled in political strife the world has never seen. I fear the violence that could quickly escalate to nuclear weapons, more than the climate change whose impacts would likely occur later.
If we continue with the national emissions framework, we run the risk that multi-national corps will move operations to areas subject to less stringent emissions caps, and overall emissions will continue at best to be reduced slightly and too slowly to make much of a difference. Please don't get me wrong--I totally understand people who correctly blame the OECD for most of today's problem. But even then, it is important to distinguish between the haves and the have-nots... The 3 B + folks in this world who barely eek a living, likely represent a minute portion of the emissions (mostly via loss of forests) and have few options available to them without significant changes in how the other almost 4B people live. The urbanites of this world and their consumption patterns around all types of resources need deep changes. Efforts to significantly alter urban resource use should be at the core--regardless of what country you live in. The urban elites everywhere have huge carbon footprints--much of it ingrained in the lifestyle options presented to them. Yet, much can be done at the personal level. My own energy consumption at home is 1/6 that of homes in my area (San Francisco, Calif), and about 1/2 or less of that of middle class homes in Mexico City. It is simply a reflecction of being aware and acting accordingly. Of understanding the difference of a want vs a need. Of living in an area where I can walk everywhere, carpool or take Metro to work. It would be better to telecommute--but that is another behavioral change that though easy to implement, seems hard to get management to buy into. It is perhaps due to the ongoing stalemates about national emissions, that we see more calls to push for personal accountabilility and use spiritual messages rather than scientific arguments, to get people to change their attitudes, lower considerably their consumption patterns, and choose less carbon-intensive choices. Many businesses are realizing that a cradle-to-cradle framework results in more profits and sustainable business. That too needs to be fostered to those who still oppose the changes that need to come. I think your book will help break the insipid and unsuccessful debates around national emissions, and hopefully get consumers to start demanding options to reduce their resource use, so that we see a large decrease in emissions quickly. There are plenty of companies and institutions who are keen on doing more renewable energy developments; even some governments (China, India much more than the US)... and many humans as well. So, let's stop wasting time with huge conferences where politicos meet to talk but not act, and make it a personal effort. At best one could ask for national policies that support and promote a move to lower carbon emissions. Be well and thanks again Rafael -----Original Message----- From: HARRIS, Paul Gordon <[email protected]> To: GEP List <[email protected]> Sent: Sat, Nov 28, 2009 2:46 am Subject: New book: World Ethics and Climate Change New book on climate change from Edinburgh University Press, just in time for the Copenhagen conference and next semester's courses: Title: World Ethics and Climate Change: From International to Global Justice Author: Paul G. Harris Publication Date: Nov 2009 Dimensions: 234 x 156 mm Length: 224 pages Series: Edinburgh Studies in World Ethics http://www.eupjournals.com/book/978-0-7486-3910-6 Summary: More than two decades of international negotiations have failed to stem emissions of greenhouse gases that are causing global warming and climate change. This book identifies a way to escape this ongoing tragedy of the atmospheric commons. It takes a fresh approach to the ethics and practice of international environmental justice and proposes fundamental adjustments to the climate change regime, in the process drawing support from cosmopolitan ethics and global conceptions of justice. The author argues for 'cosmopolitan diplomacy', which sees people, rather than states alone, as the causes of climate change and the bearers of related rights, duties and obligations. Key Features: --Describes the role of ethics and justice in world affairs and demonstrates that climate change is a matter of extreme injustice. --Summarizes and critiques the flawed doctrine of international (interstate) justice upon which governments have premised climate change agreements and policies. --Examines the practical and ethical significance for climate change of growing numbers of new consumers in the developing world. --Proposes a cosmopolitan approach to climate change that is more principled, more practical and more politically viable than current international policies. --For lecturers and students, a companion World Ethics and Climate Change learning guide is freely downloadable from www.euppublishing.com --All of the author's royalties are directly paid to OXFAM in support of the world's poor, who are most harmed by - and least responsible for - climate change. Contents: Preface; Introduction; Part I: The Challenge; 1. Global Climate Change; 2. Justice in a Changing World; Part II: International Justice; 3. International Environmental Justice; 4. International Justice and Climate Change; Part III: Global Justice; 5. Cosmopolitan Ethics and Justice; 6. Affluence, Consumption and Atmospheric Pollution; 7. Cosmopolitan Diplomacy and Climate Policy; 8. The Unavoidability of Global Justice; References; Index. Early Review: "Paul Harris argues that affluent people everywhere are, by their contributions to climate change, violating the rights of the poor. He makes a powerful case for focusing on individual rights and responsibilities in the framework of a new world ethic. I hope this book will be widely read, and acted upon." Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University Orders (UK): http://www.eupjournals.com/book/978-0-7486-3910-6 Orders (USA): http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-7486-3911-3/world-ethics-and-climate-change Inspection Copies: Inspection copies are made available to teaching staff and are sent at the discretion of Edinburgh University Press. Only paperback editions of our course books are available for inspection. A maximum of 3 books are available per year. North American customers: please contact the relevant co-publisher or distributor for your area. Details can be found on the Book Home page: http://www.eupjournals.com/book/978-0-7486-3910-6
