Common good influence on climate change
Individuals and groups in the ‘common good’ and their perspectives
Some of the individuals and agencies who have a stake in the implementation of the spirit of common good include; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), skepticisms and media, the Church Developing countries and human beings.
Perceptive 1- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The intergovernmental panel on climate change is an inter-nation forum started in 1988 with a membership of 195 countries. Its main goal for the inception was to assess the state of the climate and also anticipate the likely human-socio-environmental impacts. It integrates the research outputs from researchers from its affiliate countries (http://www.ipcc.ch/). Their outputs (the scientific evidence of climatic change, causes and effects) are implemented by the United Nations Framework on Climate change (UNFCC). UNFCC is an international agreement as a result from the Rio “Earth Summit” in the year 1992 whose main aim is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Under article 3 of the UNFCC, member countries are expected to care for the environment and lays responsibility to the developed nations. The article states;
The parties should protect the climate system for the benefit present and further generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Accordingly, the developed country parties should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof.
UNFCC categorises countries to their ability to respond to climate change and intergovernmental perspectives; ANNEX 1-includes the industrialized countries who were members of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) plus countries with economies in transition (EIT) including the Russian Federation, the Baltic States and central and Eastern European states.
ANNEX 2- consists of the OECD members of ANNEX 1 but not the EIT parties. They are required to provide financial aid to developing countries in their missions.
NON-ANNEX- parties are mostly developing countries (http://unfccc.int/parties_and_observers/items/2704.php)
Perspective 2- Deals with doubts: Climate skepticism, the media and precautionary principle
Climatic denial and scepticism question the opinion of climatic change. Some of the doubts may be if the climatic change could be occurring at all or whether human beings are causing it. Some question if the earth is warming, question the scientific evidence for global warming.
Some of the scientists are reluctant to offer sufficient proof or certainty. For instance, IPCC reports at a 95% confidence level. As such the 5% uncertainty raises questions on what it represents. Doubters also questions on how the issues raised by minority opinion should be treated when dealing with climate changes.
Media also raises doubts on how they reporting and coverage. There should be a balance in reporting between factual and wide coverage facts to be relayed to the public.
Perspective 3- Developing countries
There is a contradiction on how developing countries have contributed to climate change or if they have benefitted from industrial revolution and technology. With some speculating that developing countries have not significantly contributed to global warming. Developing countries suffer from the effects of global warming that they even threaten their existence. Some pacific island countries have even threatened to take adverse of cause of actions by going to the International court of Justice. This is evident from “See you in court: The rising tide of international climate litigation” in which the pacific Island State of Palau sought to advisory opinion from the international court of justice asking whether countries have a responsibility to avoid their emissions causing climate change damage elsewhere https://theconversation.com/see-you-in-court-the-rising-tide-of-international-climate-litigation-3543.
China is a fast developing country but it contributes significantly to atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs). With its population of over a billion, their decisions will play a crucial role in determining the level of GHGs.
China and other developing countries have prioritised their industrial and economic developments rather than welfare of the earth. Their emissions of GHGs and other effluents contribute immensely to the degradation of the environment (http://www.china.org.cn/environment/Copenhagen/2009-12/18/content_19094598.htm). The large populations who provide business centres and who are also the stakeholders of the climate change, first look for wealth, happiness and health. Some of the activities affecting the climate change are sometimes due to the selfishness of human beings.
Issues of Common good and principles promoting human flourishing
‘The tragedy of the commons’ refers to the ethical problem of caring for a resource that many people use but which is not ‘owned’ by anyone. It is originally a reference to public land on which cattle graze; this common resource becomes depleted because, while it is in everyone’s long-term interest to care for it, in the short-term it is in no one’s self-interest to do so. On a global scale there are over 200 sovereign territories, all competing for growth. While it is in their collective interest to curb climate change this century, it is in none of their interests to do so in the next decade or election cycle.
Arising from the tragedy of the commons is the challenge to get individual countries to commit to binding emissions reductions and to follow through with such commitments. It is one thing for countries to agree that it would be good to act together to mitigate global warming but it is another thing for an individual country to take costly action, especially if other countries are not doing so. For more on binding agreements see the description of the Kyoto protocol and the so-called Doha Amendment of 2012 (http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php).
Principles promoting human flourishing
The principle of the Common Good states that the good of each human person is intimately related to the good of the whole community according to the Church are; The human person, made in God’s image, is both a sacred being and a social being. The human person can only flourish in community. The rights and duties of human persons are realized and carried out in community, which includes the community of the family along with the wider society and world. The good of each individual in society is intimately connected to the good of the wider group or society and Participation, peace, proper exercise of limited authority and the safeguarding of rights are necessary conditions for the principle of Common Good
These are from the biblical teachings and understanding Dwyer, Judith, ed. The New Dictionary of Catholic Social Thought, Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, p. 192-7.
In addition, Dr. Jay W. Richards (https:// www.blog.tifwe.org/principles-important-for-flourishing/) proposed the following principles that were essential to a flourishing society; Every human being has equal value and dignity, We are inherently and specifically social, we are all sinners, we are meant to be free and responsible and when we are free, we can create wealth.
Ideally concept of the universal purpose of goods is vital in enhancing human flourishing. The goods of Earth are for all people to share. People have the right to own private property, however, this right comes with a caveat: we may not accumulate excess wealth for ourselves alone. Justice demands that all people should have access to the goods of society and that these must be equally shared in order to allow all to flourish.
The goods of Earth are gifts from God and they are intended for the benefit of everyone. There is a ‘social mortgage’ that guides our use of the world’s goods, and we have a responsibility to care for those goods as stewards and trustees, not as mere consumers and users. How we treat the environment is a measure of our stewardship, not only for the present but for generations yet to come. Earth is home not only to the human family but to a wide diversity of plant and animal life as well. Stewardship means safeguarding the diversity of all life and recognising the interdependence of all life forms on the planet.
Christian values promote peace as a positive, action-oriented concept. In the words of Pope John Paul II, ‘… peace is not just the absence of war. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It involves collaboration and binding agreements.’ There is a close relationship between peace and justice. Peace is the fruit of justice and is dependent upon right order among human beings. The common good is able to flourish more readily in a peaceful context.
All people have a right to participate in the economic, political and cultural life of society. It is a fundamental demand of justice and a requirement for human dignity that all people be assured of a minimum level of participation in the community. It is wrong for a person to be excluded unfairly or to be unable to participate in society. It is worth noting that the above concepts of dignity of human person, participation, promoting peace, universal purpose of goods and stewardship creation are integral recipe for human flourishing.
Conclusions and recommendations
Respective governments of all major countries including both the developed and developing nations of the world do have stakes in issues since they are obliged to the development, economic, social, and environmental and wealth acquisition of its citizens. In so doing, they should also always adhere to the principles of peaceful co-existence and human flourishing. Industrial revolution should be undertaken with reasonable reduction of emissions and gases to the atmosphere. The developed countries should play a large part in the mission to ensure that the ‘common good’ should be aimed at saving the planet earth and the universe.