The Routledge Handbook of Applied Climate Change Ethics

The Routledge Handbook of Applied Climate Change Ethics is a powerful reference source for the identification and exploration of the underlying ethical issues in climate change law and policy. Bridging theory with practice, it takes ethical engagement out of the classroom and into the halls of governance.

The Handbook‘s 39 chapters--written by a diverse and inter-disciplinary team of experts from around the world--are case studies divided into five parts. Parts I-IV highlight the ethical issues that arise in climate change policy formation, from duties not to harm to duties to consider the views and voices of those who will be, or are being, harmed; from the role of human rights, justice, and democracy to how to identify and respond to disinformation and denialism. It also raises the ethics of various policy responses, such as cap-and-trade, carbon taxing, and geo-engineering. Part V offers a way forward, with strategies on how to expressly consider ethics in climate change policy formation, from negotiations to education, media, communication, and the power and potential of shaming.

The volume is essential reading for students, professors, and practitioners who wish to better engage with government and non-government organizations on climate policy, to better understand the practical application of the theory and philosophy of ethics, and how to more strongly draft and defend ethical action in negotiating, drafting, and defending climate change law and policy.

Donald A. Brown is Scholar in Residence for Sustainability Ethics and Law at Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg, USA. He has taught or lectured on climate change ethical/policy issues in 38 countries approximately 80 times. He also manages the award-winning website ethicsandclimate.org which contains over 200 articles and videos on climate ethics.

Kathryn Gwiazdon is Professor of Public International Law, Climate Change Law and Policy, and Human Rights Law at the Northern Illinois University College of Law, USA. She is also the Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Ethics and Law, as well as Chair of the Ethics Specialist Group of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law.

Laura Westra is Professor Emeritus from the Department of Philosophy at University of Windsor in Windsor, Canada. She is also Founder and Director of Global Ecological Integrity Group, a research group dedicated to pushing the boundaries of scholarly endeavor through inter- and trans-disciplinary engagement on matters affecting and governing the sustainability of life for both present and future generations.