Why Global Warming is an Ethical Issue

 Why Global Warming is an Ethical Issue: A Position Paper

Do you believe in global warming? If yes, do you think you are part of it?

Abstract

The topic about global warming has long been debatable but what really matters are the questions of who– who should be accountable, who are responsible, most especially who are affected. It’s us humans. It’s the human being as well who caused this global warming and climate change in our planet. I believe global warming is an ethical issue in the sense regarding the just way and rightful distribution of accountabilities among us people and among countries. One major problem is the enhanced greenhouse effect that causes the global warming. The greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the earth’s atmosphere but prevents much of the outgoing infrared radiation from escaping into outer space. This sustains life on Earth because without the greenhouse gases the earth would be colder and won’t be livable. But the enhanced greenhouse effect causes the temperature to rise and hence result to global warming; these are due to human activities and human-induced greenhouse gases. These environmental problems raised ethical issues such as regarding how much human-induced greenhouse gases should be tolerated. Essentially, we need the greenhouse effect, in order for living and non-living things to stay on the planet. But the question on how much should be tolerated and at what level should be considered dangerous is still an issue that needs to be discussed. Another ethical issue is who should have more responsibility and accountability – I believe the developed countries should have a larger accountability and responsibility when it comes to global warming because they also have a larger contribution on energy consumptions. However, that doesn’t mean that the developing and poorer countries should be free of the obligations and responsibilities. Because we are all affected. We share the same planet, we have a share on the causes, and also on its effects, so it’s just fair that we also have a share when it comes to the solution. And that should happen right now.

Discussion

The topic about global warming has long been debatable but what really matters are the questions of who– who should be accountable, who are responsible, most especially who are affected. It’s us humans. It’s the human being as well who caused this global warming and climate change in our planet. With the increasing number of populations, which is expected to double a few more decades from now, this will take a large toll on earth.  By year 2050, the world population is expected to have grown between nine to ten billion people. This dramatic population growth means the human impact on the planet has increased significantly, not only because of the huge increase in our numbers, but also because of the new technical power to dig deeper, cut faster, build larger, and navigate more quickly great distances in automobiles, trucks, and planes. This resulted to a global scale environmental problem.

Having said that, I believe that global warming, not just an environmental issue, is also an ethical issue that should be given attention as well. It is an ethical issue in the sense regarding the just way and rightful distribution of accountabilities among us people. It is undeniable that many people don’t seem to care when it comes to the environment because they believe the government should be the sole responsible for global warming and climate change.  Some people think that the nature’s welfare lies in the laws and policies imposed by the government alone. While it is true that the government has the more power and more responsibility, us people should also do our part. Our day-to-day activities have an impact to global warming – when we leave the faucet running when brushing our teeth, when we leave the sockets unplugged, when we leave the lights on when not needed, and many other things that may seem small; but those small things, if done by many can affect the environment greatly.

According to Brown (2001), to understand the environmental problem deep enough to trigger moral concern, one must understand things that are not immediately evident to the naked eye, such as how the burning of fossil fuels in the United States may affect distant people—and not just in the present setting but in the future as well that is far more distant and abstract. He stated that one must see the amount of coal and oil burning in one country that may affect the others. It affects the temperature and depletes the ozone layer that protects us from the heat coming from the radiation of the sun. We should visualize how the use of pesticides threatens the environment and human health; and how destructive the use of paper all over the world is, to our forests. These global environmental problems raise serious ethical issues because these problems will mostly affect the poorest, it will reduce the quality of life for the future generation, and it will threaten life of animals.

Here I will list down ethical issues raised by the global warming and to start with that, we must identify one of the major problems, like the enhanced greenhouse effect. The greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the earth’s atmosphere but prevents much of the outgoing infrared radiation from escaping into outer space. This sustains life on Earth because without the greenhouse gases the earth would be colder and won’t be livable. But the enhanced greenhouse effect causes the temperature to rise and hence result to global warming; these are due to human activities and human-induced greenhouse gases. For the past two hundred years, emissions from cars, power plants, and other human inventions have led to about a 30% increase in the natural concentration of carbon dioxide and more than a 100% increase in the atmospheric concentration of methane. Globally, the average temperature of the earth has warmed over 0.55°C since the mid-nineteenth century. The rise in temperatures has caused the ice and glaciers to melt down, causing rise in sea level. The rise in sea level means that some place in the planet could get submerged in water, which we do not want to happen. This will result also to a change in the natural habitat of polar animals.

The first ethical issue is regarding how much human-induced greenhouse gases should be tolerated. Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), governments have agreed to take action to stabilize greenhouse gases at a level that “prevents dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”, however, no agreement on the level that is “dangerous” have been made yet. The level at which greenhouse gases are steadied will ultimately determine how much damage to human and nonhuman interests is accepted.

Another is weather the developed nations have special responsibilities to act before the poorer nations. This has something to do with the United States taking action to reduce the greenhouse gases but if the developing countries would not or if they have less cooperation, then there still will be climate change happening. The fight against climate change should be a collective effort by all countries and not only by developed countries, however, I say they have a bigger accountability because developed countries have the more consumption of energies, them being a developed country means that they have a larger contribution on the human-induced climate change. But as I’ve said, the developing and poorer countries should also do their part and take action against this issue.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these environmental problems, such as problems of human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity, raise the ethical question of our human obligation to protect animals and plants from destruction by human behavior and of the responsibilities of the developed world to the developing world. Global warming is an ethical issue that should be given more attention to especially at this point in time. Recently, a group of scientists call for help and a trend for Let the Earth Breathe happened. Sadly, they have been warning us since years ago of the short and long-time effects of climate change but it seems only few out the billions of people ever listened. Let’s take care of our planet, we only have one. Let’s hope that there is still hope and it’s not the end, that we still have a chance. In every little way, if done collectively will contribute big. Let’s start practicing it at home. Let the change start within ourselves.

References:

Brown, D. (2019). The Ethical Dimensions of Global Environmental Issues. Retrieved from American Academy of Arts & Sciences website: https://www.amacad.org/publication/ethical-dimensions-global-environmental-issues

do you belive in global warming? if yes, do you think you are part of it? #lettheearthbreathe