Ethics, morality, and the psychology of climate justice

Pearson, Adam R.; Tsai, Corinne G.; Clayton, Susan

doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.03.001

Cited by 19 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Another study utilizing data from a large-scale experimental survey found that in Germany, the U.S., the U.K. and France, public support for global climate change agreements was dependent on how prominently principles of fairness were featured (Bechtel and Scheve, 2013). In fact, a recent review of the literature also supports this theorizing, concluding that morality and notions of justice can promote cooperation within the context of climate change (Pearson et al, 2021).…”

Section: Fairnessmentioning

confidence: 98%

Mechanisms of Intergenerational Environmental Stewardship Activated by COVID-19: Gratitude, Fairness, and Legacy Motives

Syropoulos

Markowitz

2021

Front. Sustain. Cities

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an immense loss of human life, increased economic uncertainty, and negatively impacted individuals' mental health and close relationships. At the same time, experts have noted a concurrent improvement in many environmental quality indicators, including significant decreases in both localized air pollution and global greenhouse gas emissions. These positive trends are due to changes in human behavior necessitated by social distancing and self-quarantining measures (e.g., reduced car and air travel). However, there is already evidence that these improvements in environmental quality are only temporary. This suggests that more intentional efforts will be necessary in order to maintain positive environmental benefits and address major environmental issues as the world gets back to some version of pre-pandemic economic and social activity. Still, our collective experience over the course of the pandemic provides clear evidence that such change is possible and on a rapid timetable. Our individual and collective responses to COVID-19 reveal that we do indeed have the ability to respond to novel societal threats in highly coordinated and effective ways, suggesting that confronting the existential threat of climate change may in fact be feasible. Here, we theorize that the COVID-19 pandemic has potentially activated and made more salient some key psychological mechanisms—including norms of fairness and reciprocity, feelings of gratitude, and consideration of personal legacies—that previous empirical work suggests can be harnessed to promote beneficent intergenerational decision-making aimed at solving the environmental challenges we and our descendants will face in the twenty-first century.

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Section: Fairnessmentioning

confidence: 98%

Mechanisms of Intergenerational Environmental Stewardship Activated by COVID-19: Gratitude, Fairness, and Legacy Motives

Syropoulos

Markowitz

2021

Front. Sustain. Cities

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“…The concept of "climate justice" recognises that historical racial discrimination, class disenfranchisement, political misrecognition and other social injustices make surviving climate change and thriving within it more challenging (Jafry, Helwig and Mikulewicz, 2019;Pearson, Tsai and Clayton, 2021). Thus, a climate justice lens helps illuminate experientially different economic, social, health and other climate change impacts (Levy and Patz, 2015).…”

Section: Definition Of Climate Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

Climate justice is central to addressing the climate emergency’s psychological consequences in the Global South: a narrative review

Barnwell

Wood

2022

South African Journal of Psychology

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The United Nations has signalled a ‘code red’, marking climate change as an existential threat for humanity. The world is rapidly warming, and the consequences of climate change include an increase and intensification in flooding, droughts, wildfires, and other traumatic exposures. Although countries in the Global South have contributed least to global warming, they are the most vulnerable owing to historical inequities. The concept of ‘climate justice’ recognises that historical racial discrimination, class disenfranchisement, political misrecognition, and other social injustices make surviving climate change and thriving within it more challenging. This narrative review considers the psychological consequences of the climate emergency through a climate justice lens. The article discusses the unequal exposures to psychological adversities, socio-historical barriers to adaptations and, finally, institutional betrayal that complicates the experience of psychological distress. The review concludes by pragmatically discussing how psychology could support climate justice ends.

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“…Unique temporal and spatial scales of climate change and a lack of public awareness of its differential impacts present additional challenges for climate communication and public outreach. Temporal and spatial distancing, whereby the impacts of climate change are viewed as occurring in the future and in geographically distant locations, may lead individuals to remain complacent, justify the status quo, or shift responsibility of mitigation to other groups, nations, or generations (see Pearson et al, 2021). Moreover, surveys suggest that public awareness of the disparate impacts of climate change within nations is remarkably poor.…”

Section: The Challenge Of Climate Communication In Unequal Societiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Climate change poses several distinct practical challenges for organizations in diverse and unequal societies such as the United States. For instance, owing to a legacy of segregation, discriminatory policies, and other structural inequities, those least responsible for causing climate change, such as communities of color, Indigenous communities, and low-income communities, are disproportionately impacted by it and often lack critical resources and political capacity to address it, which can fuel mistrust (Pearson et al, 2021; Tessum et al, 2019). Moreover, inequities in the distribution of the opportunities and benefits afforded by climate solutions may further hinder cooperation and exacerbate mistrust.…”

Section: The Challenge Of Climate Communication In Unequal Societiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These disparities have spurred both governmental and nongovernmental organizations to bolster efforts to broaden public engagement, with a particular focus on including historically marginalized and underrepresented groups in climate-related decision making (Blue & Davidson, 2020; Pearson et al, 2021; Reed, 2021). In this review, we take stock of these efforts and recent empirical findings within psychology to consider how and when the use of identity- and equity-based appeals (e.g., messages that make race or class-based group memberships or inequities salient) might facilitate or hinder the formation and maintenance of racially and socioeconomically diverse climate coalitions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Building diverse climate coalitions: The pitfalls and promise of equity- and identity-based messaging.

Tsai¹,

Pearson²

2022

Translational Issues in Psychological Science

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In response to the largest climate demonstrations in history and growing recognition of the disproportionate impacts of climate change on disadvantaged communities, environmental organizations are increasingly looking to diversify their memberships and enhance public outreach. In this review, we consider unique challenges inherent in building racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse climate coalitions and highlight three often implicit assumptions that may undermine the effectiveness of equity-and identity-based climate communications and public outreach efforts: (a) that prodiversity messaging is viewed as inclusive by both racial and ethnic majority and minority groups; (b) that making specific identity groups salient will engage targeted individuals; and (c) that enhancing the salience of climate-related inequities bolsters public support for efforts to reduce those inequities. Drawing from psychological research and theory as well as real-world examples, we discuss problems with each of these assumptions, highlight current knowledge gaps, and offer practical recommendations for more effectively tailoring communications to broaden public engagement across differences.What is the significance of this article for the general public?The present review suggests that many appeals designed to promote diversity and broaden public engagement may in fact impede the formation and growth of racially and socioeconomically diverse climate coalitions. We highlight three tacit assumptions often present in equity-and identity-based organizational communications that may undermine their effectiveness. We offer practical recommendations for strengthening inclusive messaging and enhancing public support for equity-based climate policies and initiatives.

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Ethics, morality, and the psychology of climate justice

Cited by 19 publications

References 64 publications

Mechanisms of Intergenerational Environmental Stewardship Activated by COVID-19: Gratitude, Fairness, and Legacy Motives

Mechanisms of Intergenerational Environmental Stewardship Activated by COVID-19: Gratitude, Fairness, and Legacy Motives

Climate justice is central to addressing the climate emergency’s psychological consequences in the Global South: a narrative review

Building diverse climate coalitions: The pitfalls and promise of equity- and identity-based messaging.

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