An ELI Public Seminar
In Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, the leader of the Catholic Church presents a moral argument for combating climate change and other environmental harm. Much as he has done throughout his papacy, the Pope highlights concerns about economic disparity, arguing that climate change disproportionality impacts developing nations and the world’s poor. Along with critiques of “consumerism” and the modern economic system, the Pope expressed deep skepticism about the motives and impacts of market mechanisms as emissions reduction tools.
The Pope is not the first to challenge the ethics of market based systems of environmental protection. Critics have argued that buying and selling pollution rights removes the moral stigma of pollution and that inequity is built into the system by allowing the rich to buy their way out of pollution reduction regimes. Others have worried that market systems can create pollution hotspots. But many others in the environmental community, particularly in the United States, have come to see market-based mechanisms as a potentially potent, cost-effective, and morally and legally defensible way to achieve pollution reduction goals.
Our expert panel discussed the Pope’s position and its bearing on global efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The program also discussed the value of market-based methods of pollution control and how they serve, or fail to serve, sustainability goals.
Panelists:
Leslie Carothers, Visiting Scholar; Former President, Environmental Law Institute (moderator)
Caroline Farrell, Executive Director, Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment
Bob Perciasepe, President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Lucia Ann Silecchia, Professor of Law, Catholic University Columbus School of Law
Materials:
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