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Climate Change

Climate Change

Over the years, climate change has been a significant concern to scientists and numerous governments across the globe.  The essay writer primary concern when it comes to climate change is helping secure the future for the coming generations. This raises an ethical concern on whether an individual has a moral obligation to help in reducing global warming. Typically, individual’s behaviors are attributed to increased cases of global warming, such as high rates of emissions. Therefore, there is a need for people to reflect on their actions and seeks to understand the impact they have on the future. The ethical view is based on an individual moral concern to reduce GHG emissions to a great extent. However, the national government maintains a vital role in limiting various things happening within their jurisdictions.  For instance, the government needs to ensure they adopt proper measures that will help in reducing the emission of the gases within specific territories.  The exclusive focus of the paper is on the individual efforts towards dealing with the issue of climate change by making the right consumer choices and choosing the nature of mobility adequately.

An individual has the moral obligation to help in reducing emission or otherwise will suffer from the polluter pays principle. Previously, the principle was based on an economic model but has found its way in ethical studies. According to the principle, all polluters suffer collectively based on the pollution harm caused. The cost of pollution is based on the infinitesimal contribution an individual makes in causing the damage. However, in cases where people do not have any schemes of making those polluting the environment pay, it leads to increased instances of wrongful and harmful actions among the people.

 The various ways individuals can undertake a moral obligation of dealing with climate change is through considering having a fair emission budget. For instance, global emission is based on very little output caused by an individual’s actions. It would be reasonable for every persona to undertake a personal initiative in trying to reduce the emission, such as through having small budgets to deal with emissions that are likely to cause climate change (Baatz, 2014).  However, the allocation of personal budgets should be done within specific guidelines that are based on fairness and equality. This will help in ensuring that the responsibility does not include over-burden some people.  Fairness is instrumental and works in situations where there are no institutional arrangements.  Furthermore, undertaking another person’s share is immoral since everybody has their share of blame on what constitutes harmful activities. Therefore, an individual moral obligation is to ensure they keep their limits within the fair share of emission. This will be crucial in dealing with the problem of climate change in the world.

Moreover, individuals have the moral obligation to change their lifestyles to abide by changing climate change.  For instance, people should reduce engaging in activities that promote a high contribution of carbon to the environment. This is due to the psychological, economic, and social costs associated with such activities.  Therefore, individuals should work towards promoting the adoption of friendly working practices since it dramatically reduces the rate of emissions to the environment (Hourdequin, 2020).   Also, the moral obligation among individuals is based on doing what is reasonably within their powers.  For instance, individuals can contribute their resources to help in dealing with carbon emission. However, this is based on ensuring the maintenance of a decent life. There is no value in subjecting an individual to paying more if they do not have. The contributions should be based on the individual’s endowment. Supporting the various government and non-government initiatives is essential for achieving the targeted objectives.

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Additionally, a person has the moral obligation of ensuring total compliance with the guidelines that help in reducing carbon emission. In many cases, people violate the rules or regulations that have been enacted to deal with the problem of emission to the environment. There is a need to ensure that individual actions are within the country’s laws.  For instance, a person should seek to understand how their actions impact the environment. Therefore, bearing personal responsibility is essential to the achievement of a better environment. Further, it helps in reducing the rate of non-compliance. In many cases, non-compliance to environmental laws leads to fines from the authorities.  Therefore, having high levels of compliance will help in reducing such instances whereby individuals are required to pay the penalties.

 Furthermore, individuals have the moral obligation to offer leadership as a bid to help in dealing with global warming.  In many cases, the lack of proper leadership has been attributed to the increased instances of global warming in the country. In situations where those in authority offer appropriate leadership, the society has dealt with the issue most appropriately.  However, at individual levels, there is a moral obligation for persons to ensure they undertake proper leadership. For instance, creating awareness and emphasizing to others on the need for promoting proper environmental practices. This is vital since the community understands what is required in dealing with global warming.

Another moral obligation made at individual levels is based on the purchasing decision made.  For instance, there is a need to avoid buying products that promote global warming in society.  Some of the products are harmful to the environment and animals in general. Some of the chemicals bought from factory farms lead to death and harm animals such as chicken. Despite the purchasing decision being tiny, it plays an instrumental role in improving the lives of the community in general. People should understand that through the small contributions made when purchasing items, it is significant in the achievement of the collective goal of dealing with global warming.

            The application of group principle is critical in promoting individual moral obligation.  For instance, based on the group principle, individuals should avoid being part of the group that contributes to pollution.  For example, stopping the consumption of certain foods will help in dealing with the problem. This is due to the application of the principle of demand and supply. Therefore, the lack of consumption reduces the demand, which consequently affects the supply of the products.  The group principle is based on essential elements such as planning on what to do and explicit reasoning. Furthermore, the benefit of individual actions should be considered and ensure that one supports collaboration practices.  Finally, the group principle focuses on avoiding wrongful elements.  For instance, there is no need for supporting those engaging in practices that cause ham

In conclusion, the problem of global warming has caused serious concerns to society, thus the need for having mitigating measures. Individuals should understand that they have a significant moral duty to help in dealing with the issues. Therefore, every person has to pay their role in dealing with the problem and ensure the establishment of a safe environment.

References

Baatz, C. (2014). Climate change and individual duties to reduce GHG emissions. Ethics, Policy & Environment, 17(1), 1-19.

Hourdequin, M. (2020). Climate, Collective Action and Individual Ethical Obligations. Retrieved 1 April 2020, from https://ideas.repec.org/a/env/journl/ev19ev1920.html

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By Hanna Robinson

Hanna has won numerous writing awards. She specializes in academic writing, copywriting, business plans and resumes. After graduating from the Comosun College's journalism program, she went on to work at community newspapers throughout Atlantic Canada, before embarking on her freelancing journey.

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