Carbon Pricing is not Unjust

Abstract The aim of this perspective is to argue that carbon pricing is not unjust. Two important dimensions of justice are distributive and procedural (sometimes called “participatory”) justice. In terms of distributive justice, it is argued that carbon pricing can be made distributionally just thr...

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Main Author: Kian Mintz‐Woo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-01-01
Series:Global Challenges
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202300089
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author Kian Mintz‐Woo
author_facet Kian Mintz‐Woo
author_sort Kian Mintz‐Woo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The aim of this perspective is to argue that carbon pricing is not unjust. Two important dimensions of justice are distributive and procedural (sometimes called “participatory”) justice. In terms of distributive justice, it is argued that carbon pricing can be made distributionally just through revenue recycling and that it should be expected that even neutral reductions in emissions will generate progressive benefits, both internationally and regionally. In terms of procedural justice, it is argued that carbon pricing is in principle compatible with any procedure; however, there is also a particular morally justifiable procedure, the Citizens’ Assembly, which has been implemented in Ireland on this precise question and has generated broad agreement on carbon pricing. It is suggested that this morally matters because such groups are like “ideal advisors” that offer morally important advice. Finally, an independent objection is offered to some ambitious alternatives to carbon pricing like Green New Deal‐type frameworks, frameworks that aim to simultaneously tackle multiple social challenges. The objection is that these will take too long to work in a climate context, both to develop and to iterate.
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spelling doaj.art-072d2dd934224cdeab21f5708eb32fae2024-01-12T03:43:09ZengWileyGlobal Challenges2056-66462024-01-0181n/an/a10.1002/gch2.202300089Carbon Pricing is not UnjustKian Mintz‐Woo0Department of Philosophy & Environmental Research Institute University College Cork Cork T12 Y1F1 IrelandAbstract The aim of this perspective is to argue that carbon pricing is not unjust. Two important dimensions of justice are distributive and procedural (sometimes called “participatory”) justice. In terms of distributive justice, it is argued that carbon pricing can be made distributionally just through revenue recycling and that it should be expected that even neutral reductions in emissions will generate progressive benefits, both internationally and regionally. In terms of procedural justice, it is argued that carbon pricing is in principle compatible with any procedure; however, there is also a particular morally justifiable procedure, the Citizens’ Assembly, which has been implemented in Ireland on this precise question and has generated broad agreement on carbon pricing. It is suggested that this morally matters because such groups are like “ideal advisors” that offer morally important advice. Finally, an independent objection is offered to some ambitious alternatives to carbon pricing like Green New Deal‐type frameworks, frameworks that aim to simultaneously tackle multiple social challenges. The objection is that these will take too long to work in a climate context, both to develop and to iterate.https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202300089carbon pricingcarbon taxesclimate ethicsclimate justicedistributive justice
spellingShingle Kian Mintz‐Woo
Carbon Pricing is not Unjust
Global Challenges
carbon pricing
carbon taxes
climate ethics
climate justice
distributive justice
title Carbon Pricing is not Unjust
title_full Carbon Pricing is not Unjust
title_fullStr Carbon Pricing is not Unjust
title_full_unstemmed Carbon Pricing is not Unjust
title_short Carbon Pricing is not Unjust
title_sort carbon pricing is not unjust
topic carbon pricing
carbon taxes
climate ethics
climate justice
distributive justice
url https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202300089
work_keys_str_mv AT kianmintzwoo carbonpricingisnotunjust