Finding Justice for Survivors of Climactic Events

“We have a duty of justice, but we also have a duty to listen to the survivors and the victims of these harms and to hear what they demand of us, but also what they need and what what they want. But we also as well, as fellow citizens…have to take meaningful political action.”

As climate change continues to be at the forefront of many peoples minds, philosophical lines of thinking are beginning to open up, looking at the rights and responsibilities not just of those impacted by climate change and climactic events, but also the responsibilities of all people, especially those in what UNE PhD candidate, Harrison Munday, calls the ‘global north.’ These states, within which he include Australia, are those that are economically advantaged, and able to make use of their fossil fuels and other natural resources. Conversely, those states in the global south, are often disadvantaged, and may be more heavily impacted by climate change.

“ I think we really need to listen to those states. I view them as a wronged party deserving redress. And that’s just to say that we are the wrongdoers in the global north. We’ve benefited from our emitting practices, but it’s come at the cost of harming others. So we have a duty of justice, but we also have a duty to listen to the survivors and the victims of these harms and to hear what they demand of us, but also what they need and what what they want. But we also as well as fellow citizens of these states in the global north, have to take meaningful political action.”

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash