In recent years a large and impressive literature has evolved concerning the principles of distributive justice that should apply at the global level. However, although there is an extensive and sophisticated literature on global distributive justice, there has not been much extended philosophical discussion of the kinds of global principles of justice that should apply to the environment.1 This
... [Show full abstract] general neglect is both striking and represents an important omission for there is a great number of pressing environmental issues which have a large impact on people throughout the world. One obvious example of the latter is global climate change. It is now widely recognized that the world’s climate is becoming both warmer and more unpredictable, and that human activity causes these changes. The emission of greenhouse gases and extensive deforestation have contributed to, and continue to contribute to, global climate change. This raises a number of normative questions. As Henry Shue points out, we can identify at least four separate questions: (i) who should shoulder the costs of preventing further global warming?, (ii) who should shoulder the costs of coping with global warming?, (iii) what is a fair background framework within which parties can negotiate?, and (iv) what are fair emissions levels, both in the short term as we move to a fair system and in the long run? (Shue, 1994: 344, 1995: 240).