The ethics of climate activism

Abstract

Climate activism, and ethical reflection on it, is expanding in line with increased awareness of global warming's destructive effects. The ethics of climate activism has focused on two main questions. First, is there a duty to engage in climate activism? Answers to this question differ regarding how the duty is grounded, how demanding it is, and whether people in certain social roles have special duties to engage in climate activism. The second question is whether certain forms of climate activism are morally permissible, given certain frequently voiced concerns. Prominently, concerns about climate activism being ineffective, uninclusive, undemocratic, and violent. The review ends by pointing to other issues that the ethics of climate activism is likely to address in the near future.