5 September 2024 : Daily Answer Writing

Q1) What do you understand by environmental ethics? Examine the ethical concerns in ‘phasedown versus phase out debate’ in the use of coal by developing countries.

(250 Words/15 Marks)

ANS

Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the relation between human beings and ecology. The range of activities under environmental ethics are as follows:

Environmental ethics aims to provide ethical justification for environment-protection movements such as how the use of fossil fuels like coal is damaging natural environment, or the environmental implications of coal dependence of developing countries which is at heart of the phase-down versus phase-out debate.

Ethical concerns with Phase-out of Coal:

1. Utilitarianism: Developed countries cite utilitarianism in favor of phase-out of coal to help the world as a whole in controlling the rising temperature. E.g., EU’s carbon border tax. But such moves can create development walls and prevent the socio-economic development of billions in the developing world.
2. Consequentialism: A phase-out of coal would lead to consequence of shortage of affordable energy for the coal-dependent developing nations. These nations already have a low carbon footprint and reducing the same would lead to no major moral good in climate action.
3. Distributive Justice: Developed countries have realized socio-economic benefits out of the active phase of industrialization. Now, a blanket ban on the use of coal would exclude developing countries from an already unequal sharing of global carbon budget.
4. Other Fossil Fuels: Greater focus is being given to coal, while mineral oil continues to be the basis of global economies. Phasing out other fossil fuels will be more impactful in climate action and as well as in global equity through greater impact on developed countries due to energy exports.

Ethical concerns with Phase-down of Coal:

1. Ecological Harm: Increasing temperature and continuing pollution are threatening extinction of flora and fauna, destruction of habitats in global commons from Amazon to Ganga.
2. Environmental emergency: IPCC has warned time and again about the negative impacts of not reducing coal consumption immediately. If climate disasters occur, developing countries might suffer the most. E.g., Maldives declared a climate emergency.
3. Transition trap would be a major issue. For example, continuing investments in development of coal-based infrastructure would increase dependence on coal, and make clean energy transition more difficult and delayed.
4. Greater socio-economic impacts of climate change would fall on the poor population in developing countries in absence of early transition. For example, in dropping agricultural yields, crop failure etc.

Environmental ethics is not just about the environment but also the communities inhabiting the environment. Conserving the interests of all stakeholders requires accepting common but differentiated responsibilities. In this light, there is need for greater coordination between developed and developing countries for transition from coal to clean technologies on lines of International Solar Alliance.