Decolonizing the Atmosphere: The Climate Justice Movement on Climate Debt

Abstract

A central concept raised by the climate justice movement is climate debt. Here, the claims and warrants of the movement support for climate debt is identified through an argumentation analysis of their central manifestos. It is found that the climate debt claim is understood as primarily restorative, in the sense that the environmental space of the developing countries must be returned, “decolonized.” The damage caused by climate change also gives rise to a compensatory adaptation debt. The result is compared with an earlier study on ecological debt. Both concepts are framed within an unjust power relation between North and South, but there are differences. Ecological debt is mainly analyzed in terms of an unjust economic exploitation, which is congenial with its use as an argument for cancellation of Southern external debts; climate debt is rather seen as a violation of communal rights and territories, an argument for climate justice.

Putting the past into action: How historical narratives shape participation in collective action

“…This is not to say that historical narratives have not played a role in climate change activism. Narratives of colonialism are central to many climate justice movements focused on the disparate impacts borne by historically subordinated groups (Warlenius, 2018). However, the absence of such narratives is not always a barrier to sustained collective action against climate change.…”

“…movements focused on the disparate impacts borne by historically subordinated groups (Warlenius, 2018). However, the absence of such narratives is not always a barrier to sustained collective action against climate change.…”

Environmental Ministries as Climate Policy Drivers: Comparing Brazil and India

“…The climate-as-foreign-policy logic is related to the postcolonial understanding of environmental issues that emerged in developing countries in the 1970s (Lago, 2009; Miller, 2004). This logic regards climate change a result of the global inequalities that were caused by colonialism (Joshi, 2013; Warlenius, 2018). According to this logic, climate change requires political solutions whereby early-industrialized countries pay for their excessive resource use (Joshi, 2013; Miller, 2004).…”

“…Climate change mitigation is seen as a zero-sum game where mitigation responsibility should be divided fairly between countries according to their contribution to the problem (Dubash, 2009, 2012; Najam, 2005). The appropriate mitigation ambition for developing countries would then be to ensure that own mitigation costs are not unfairly large compared with the mitigation costs accepted by developed countries; developed countries have to pay their climate debt (Warlenius, 2018). With this focus on costs, development and mitigation are seen as conflicting aims, and developing countries should not prioritize mitigation above development (Dubash, 2009).…”

Climate crisis and the demand for more empiric research in social sciences: emerging topics and challenges in environmental psychology / Crisis climática y demanda de más investigación empírica en Ciencias Sociales: tópicos emergentes y retos en Psicología Ambiental

“…El último informe del IPCC (2013-14) es concluyente con respecto a las dos primeras cuestiones: existe un cambio climático constatable y en curso, y la única variable que puede explicarlo es la interferencia humana en la atmósfera (Warlenius, 2017), a través de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) realizadas desde los inicios de la revolución industrial. Estas emisiones provienen del ingente consumo de combustibles fósiles y de otras actividades agropecuarias y de uso del suelo que también contribuyen a emitir GEI y a menguar la capacidad de los sumideros naturales de carbono para fijar dichos gases en la tierra o el océano.…”