Presentation at the Sixth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts and Responses.

By Kalpana MurariUniversity of Iceland, Reykjavik.

27 and 28th of June, 2014.

Climate Ethics – Reinforcing MEAs and Policy instruments

• Developing nations’ role in the climate change agenda

- Imparts values of neutrality and impartiality - Infuses democratic values - Assists in devising policies that ultimately aid in finding global solutions

to climate change.

Operationalizing climate ethical principles.

• Avoidance of harm

• Fairness

• Equitable access

• Environmental sustainability

Making an impact with ethics

Natural Resource management

Poverty alleviation

Environmental Pillaging

Environmental security

Larger Objectives

• Averting Ecological crises and Restoring ecosystems

• Mandating socially responsible investments (SRI) aimed at sustainable development

• Monitoring land-use change to help regulate indiscriminate urbanization

• Institutional reforms to help poor countries

• Universal harmonization of processes and designs

Ethics and sustainability best practices

Sustainable development in transportation and infrastructure- Guarantees Environment protection, Economic efficiency and Social Equity.- Calls for Environment sustainability - International regulations for transportation- Internalizing environment externalities by providing for env.costs- Devise an effective environmental management plan

Other areas to enforce sustainable practices - Renewable Energy - Smart Grid -Biofuels

Crucial areas for policy intervention

• Measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of mitigation action and commitments at domestic levels

- OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, 2011

• Reaching out to Climate Refugees

– Absence of a legal definition for “climate refugees” under the UN framework.

• Setting international standards for domestic legislation on climate change

– Global Climate Legislation Initiative (GCLI)

• Climate agreement to be finalized in the year 2015.

Influencing climate policies

• Greenhouse Development Rights Framework– To protect right to development and developmental equity. – To protect right to sustainable development.– Highlights the need for an emergency climate stabilization program – Imposes an obligation on nations to contribute to mitigation and adaptation

funds.

• UN Global Compact Principles - Strategic policy initiative for businesses for long term benefits- Recommends precautionary approach by businesses- Diffusion of Environmentally sound technologies (ESTs)

Overview of the Paper

• Ethical implications of emissions allocation among nations

• Concrete national actions on emissions levels and mitigation actions

• Calls for domestic and international policy on MRV and the preparedness for a third party scrutiny of emissions reductions

• Importance of ESTs and the need to invest in Research and Development of climate-friendly technologies

• Replicate examples set by countries like Norway that has made a voluntary commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030 with dedicated funds for environmental projects

• Calls for sustainable lifestyles and transparency in environmental management by nations.