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Distributing the burdens of climate change

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Page, Edward. (2008) Distributing the burdens of climate change. Environmental Politics, Vol.17 (No.4). pp. 556-575. ISSN 0964-4016

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09644010802193419

Abstract

Global climate change raises many questions for environmental political theorists. This article focuses on the question of identifying the agents that should bear the financial burden of preventing dangerous climate change. Identifying in a fair way the agents that should take the lead in climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as the precise burdens that these parties must bear, will be a key aspect of the next generation of global climate policies. After a critical review of a number of rival approaches to burden sharing, the paper argues that only a principled and philosophically robust reconciliation of three approaches to burden sharing (‘contribution to problem’, ‘ability to pay’ and ‘beneficiary pays’) can generate a satisfactory mix of theoretical coherence and practical application.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

J Political Science > JC Political theory
H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory

Divisions:

Faculty of Social Sciences > Politics and International Studies

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Distributive justice, Climactic changes -- Economic aspects, Distribution (Economic theory)

Journal or Publication Title:

Environmental Politics

Publisher:

Routledge

ISSN:

0964-4016

Official Date:

August 2008

Dates:

Date	Event
August 2008	Published

Volume:

Vol.17

Number:

No.4

Page Range:

pp. 556-575

Identification Number:

10.1080/09644010802193419

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Access rights to Published version:

Open Access

Version or Related Resource:

Earlier version: Page, E.A. (2007). Distributing the burdens of climate change. In: ECPR Joint Sessions of Workshops, Univ Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, May 07-12, 2007.

Related URLs:

Related item in WRAP

References:

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