Intergenerational distributive justice and environmental responsibility

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Bioscience; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1297701· OSTI ID:7212956

Green, R M

The author suggests three ''axions'' of intergenerational responsibility; basic quides to the thinking about obligations to the future. They are: present generation is bound by ties of justice to real future persons; (2) the lives of future persons ought ideally to be ''better'' than those of the present and certainly no worse; and (3) sacrifices on behalf of the future must be distributed equitably in the present, with special regard for those presently least advantaged. He warns against taking long-term risks that might jeopardize many times the number of generations that would profit from such ventures; he discusses a plutonium economy as an example.

• Research Organization: Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH
• OSTI ID: 7212956
• Journal Information: Bioscience; (United States), Journal Name: Bioscience; (United States) Vol. 27:4; ISSN BISNA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
530100* -- Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies-- Social & Economic Studies-- (-1989)
ACTINIDES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HAZARDS
METALS
PLUTONIUM
POLLUTION
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS