Economics, ethics, and climate policy

Technical Report · Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10159897· OSTI ID:10159897

Howarth, R B; Monahan, P A

Are the costs of greenhouse gas emissions abatement justified by the perceived benefits of sustained climate stability? Do people of the present generation have a moral right to impose climate risks on their descendants in generations to come? This report examines these questions in light of the emergent facts of climate science and their socioeconomic implications. We consider alternative normative criteria for social decision-making with particular emphasis on cost-benefit analysis and the principle of sustainable development. While each framework yields important insights, we argue that the gross uncertainties associated with climate change and the distribution of impacts between present and future generations constrain the usefulness of cost-benefit criteria in evaluating climate policy. If one accepts the ethical proposition that it is morally wrong to impose catastrophic risks on unborn generations when reducing those risks would not noticeably diminish the quality of life of existing persons, a case can be made for concerted policy action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Stockholm Environment Inst. (Sweden)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 10159897
• Report Number(s): LBL-33230; ON: DE93015373; TRN: 93:001488
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Nov 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
GREENHOUSE GASES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
CLIMATIC CHANGE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
STABILITY
DECISION MAKING
QUALITY OF LIFE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
ETHICAL ASPECTS
FORECASTING
RISK ASSESSMENT
290300
290200
ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, AND SAFETY
ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY