Ethical and Social Implications of Global Warming By Meghan Bongartz.

Ethical and Social

Implications of Global

Warming

By Meghan Bongartz

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Overview• Introduction

• Why take an ethical view of climate change?

• Environmental effects

• Health effects

• Economic effects

• Social valuation within the current population

• Social valuation among generations

• Summary

• Conclusion

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Introduction

• Ties together all

areas of climate

change studies

• Humans are part

of the problem

and among those

being harmed

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Environmental Effects

• Changing climates – most areas will

be warmer and dryer, but not all;

some may benefit

• More severe weather

• Loss of plant and animal life

• Water shortages

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Health Effects

• Spreading of disease (West Nile,

cholera, etc.)

• Malnutrition

• Environmental refugees

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Economic Effects

• Loss of agricultural income

• Loss of tourist income

• Expenses of mitigation and adaption

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Social Valuation - Current

• Developed countries are most to blame

• Undeveloped countries face the most

risk

• The poor and unhealthy of all countries

are also at risk

• How do we decide where to draw the

line of responsibility?

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Social Valuation - Future

• The effects of climate change will

have more impact on future

generations

• Mitigation strategies will be costly to

our generation

• Who receives the benefit?

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Summary

• The ethical and social implications of

global warming are interdisciplinary

• Includes environmental, health, and

economic factors

• Raises questions of what people are

of the most value

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Conclusion

• This is an issue in which all of

humanity as well as the entire rest of

the world is at risk

• It is impossible to be objective