Atmospheric justice - Steve Vanderheiden

When the policies and activities of one country or generation harm both other nations and later generations, they constitute serious injustices. Recognizing the broad threat posed by anthropogenic climate change, advocates for an international climate policy development process have expressly aimed to mitigate this pressing contemporary environmental threat in a manner that promotes justice. Yet, while making justice a primary objective of global climate policy hasbeen the movement's noblest aspiration, it remains an onerous challenge for policymakers. Atmospheric Justice is the first single-authored work of political theory that addresses this pressing challenge via the conceptual frameworks of justice, equality, and responsibility. Throughout this incisive study, Steve Vanderheiden points toward ways to achieve environmental justice by exploring how climate change raises issues of both international and intergenerational justice. In addition, he considers how the design of a global climate regime might take these aims into account.Engaging with the principles of renowned political philosopher John Rawls, he expands on them by factoring in the needs of future generations. Vanderheiden also demonstrates how political theory can contribute to reaching a better understanding of the proper human response to climate change. By showing howclimate policy offers insights into resolving contemporary controversies within political theory, he illustrates the ways in which applying normative theory to policy allows us to better understand both. Thoroughly researched and persuasively argued, Atmospheric Justice makes an important step toward providing us with a set of carefully elaborated first principles for achieving environmental justice.

Steve Vanderheiden is Assistant Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he specializes in normative political theory and environmental politics.

A crucial review concerning the 'fit'of recognised approaches in political theory to emerging discourse relating to what he terms 'atmospheric justice'...provocative and perceptive, and environmental lawyers (increasingly alive to the need to engage with ecological influences within other disciplines) can find there much that within their own discipline is also deserving of fuller reflection and response.

Journal of Environmental Law